18 Alas, you who are longing for the (A)day of the Lord,
For what purpose will the day of the Lord be to you?
It will be (B)darkness and not light;
19 As when a man (C)flees from a lion
And a bear meets him,
[a]Or goes home, leans his hand against the wall
And a snake bites him.
20 Will not the day of the Lord be (D)darkness instead of light,
Even gloom with no brightness in it?

21 “I hate, I (E)reject your festivals,
Nor do I [b](F)delight in your solemn assemblies.
22 “Even though you (G)offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings,
I will not accept them;
And I will not even look at the (H)peace offerings of your fatlings.
23 “Take away from Me the noise of your songs;
I will not even listen to the sound of your harps.
24 “But let (I)justice roll down like waters
And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

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Footnotes

  1. Amos 5:19 Or Then
  2. Amos 5:21 Lit like to smell