Translations
Modern
Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Hosts, the Lord, says: “There will be wailing in all the public squares and cries of ‘Alas! Alas!’ in all the streets. The farmer will be summoned to mourn, and the mourners to wail.
Traditional
Therefore the Lord, the God of hosts, the Lord, saith thus; Wailing shall be in all streets; and they shall say in all the highways, Alas! alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and such as are skilful of lamentation to wailing.
Literal
Therefore, thus says YHWH God of Hosts, the Lord: “In all the public squares will be wailing, and in all the streets they will say, ‘Alas! Alas!’ And they will call the farmer to mourning, and those knowing lamentation to wailing,
Latin
Propterea hæc dicit Dominus Deus exercituum, dominator: In omnibus plateis planctus; et in cunctis quæ foris sunt, dicetur: Væ, væ! et vocabunt agricolam ad luctum, et ad planctum eos qui sciunt plangere.
Original
Hebrew
English
Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Hosts, the Lord, says: “There will be wailing in all the public squares and cries of ‘Alas! Alas!’ in all the streets. The farmer will be summoned to mourn, and the mourners to wail.
Notes
The farmer … and the mourners: This expression vividly describes widespread grief. It means that everyone would mourn, from ordinary workers like farmers to people whose job was to mourn at funerals.
wailing … mourn … wailing: People would grieve because of the widespread and certain destruction ahead (Amos 5:1–2).
Amos delivers three prophetic messages to Israel, criticizing their mistaken belief about being God's chosen people. The messages show a progression toward judgment.
Theme notes and profiles
Events
Parallels
People
LORD: Names or title used to refer to God
Glossary
Topics
Agriculture or Farming: Grief Occasioned by the Failure of the Fruits of Famine: Sent As a Judgment Judgments: No Escape From The Dead: Mourning For, often by Hired Mourners Weeping: On Account of Tribulation