Amos 5:14-16

Contemporary English Version

¹⁴If you really want to live,
you must stop doing wrong
    and start doing right.
I, the Lord God All-Powerful,
will then be on your side,
    just as you claim I am.
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]

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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.