Amos 5:15-17

Contemporary English Version

¹⁵Choose good instead of evil!
See that justice is done.
Maybe I, the Lord All-Powerful,
will be kind to what's left
of your people.^[a]

Judgment Is Coming

¹⁶This is what the Lord has sworn:

Noisy crying will be heard
    in every town and street.
Even farmers will be told
    to mourn for the dead,
together with those
    who are paid to mourn.^[b]
¹⁷Your vineyards will be filled
with crying and weeping,^[c]
    because I will punish you.
I, the Lord, have spoken!

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Footnotes

5.15 your people: Hebrew “Joseph's descendants” (see the note at 5.6).
5.16 paid to mourn: In ancient times some people were paid to mourn and make loud cries at funerals.
5.17 Your vineyards … weeping: Instead of happy celebrations that were often held in vineyards after the harvest.