Woe to the Complacent

Amos 6

The Lord pronounces woe on the leaders of Zion and Samaria who live at ease in luxury while unmoved by the ruin of Joseph, declaring that they will be the first to go into exile as a nation is raised up to afflict the whole land.

About these editions

The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.

Thomson 1808Septuagint

Brenton 1851Septuagint

Greek · BrentonSeptuagint

KJV 1769Masoretic

JPS 1917Masoretic

ThomsonALAS for them who despise Sion and have put their trust in the mount of Samaria. They have gathered as a vintage the governments of nations and gone in.

BrentonWoe to them that set at nought Sion, and that trust in the mountain of Samaria: they have gathered the harvest of the heads of the nations, and they have gone in themselves.

GreekΟὐαὶ τοῖς ἐξουθενοῦσι Σιὼν, καὶ τοῖς πεποιθόσιν ἐπὶ τὸ ὄρος Σαμαρείας, ἀπετρύγησαν ἀρχὰς ἐθνῶν, καὶ εἰσῆλθον αὐτοί. οἶκος τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ

KJVWoe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came!

JPS—

ThomsonO house of Israel, Go ye all over [to Chalane] and see, and thence pass on to Ematraba and thence go down to Gath of the Philistines, to the strongest of all those kingdoms of theirs. Are their borders larger than yours,

BrentonO house of Israel, pass by all of you, and see; and pass by thence to Ematrabba; and thence descend to Geth of the Philistines, the chief of all these kingdoms, see if their coasts are greater than your coasts.

Greekδιάβητε πάντες καὶ ἴδετε, καὶ διέλθατε ἐκεῖθεν εἰς Ἐματραββὰ, καὶ κατάβητε ἐκεῖθεν εἰς Γὲθ ἀλλοφύλων, τὰς κρατίστας ἐκ πασῶν τῶν βασιλειῶν τούτων, εἰ πλείονα τὰ ὅρια αὐτῶν ἐστι τῶν ὑμετέρων ὁρίων.

KJVPass ye unto Calneh, and see; and from thence go ye to Hamath the great: then go down to Gath of the Philistines: be they better than these kingdoms? or their border greater than your border?

JPSPass ye unto Calneh, and see, And from thence go ye to Hamath the great; Then go down to Gath of the Philistines; Are they better than these kingdoms? Or is their border greater than your border? .

Thomsonwho are coming to an evil day, who are drawing near and on the point of touching false sabbaths?

BrentonYe who are approaching the evil day, who are drawing near and adopting false sabbaths;

GreekΟἱ ἐρχόμενοι εἰς ἡμέραν κακὴν, οἱ ἐγγίζοντες καὶ ἐφαπτόμενοι σαββάτων ψευδῶν,

KJVYe that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near;

JPSYe that put far away the evil day, And cause the seat of violence to come near;

ThomsonSome of you are sleeping on beds of ivory and lolling a t ease on couches, and eating kids from the flocks, and from the herds calves fed with milk;

Brentonwho sleep upon beds of ivory, and live delicately on their couches, and eat kids out of the flocks, and sucking calves out of the midst of the stalls;

Greekοἱ καθεύδοντες ἐπὶ κλινῶν ἐλεφαντίνων, καὶ κατασπαταλῶντες ἐπὶ ταῖς στρωμναῖς αὐτῶν, καὶ ἔσθοντες ἐρίφους ἐκ ποιμνίων, καὶ μοσχάρια ἐκ μέσου βουκολίων γαλαθηνὰ,

KJVThat lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall;

JPSThat lie upon beds of ivory, And stretch themselves upon their couches, And eat the lambs out of the flock, And the calves out of the midst of the stall;

Thomsonsome are dwelling on the sound of musical instruments, as if they thought it eternal and not transient.

Brentonwho excel in the sound of musical instruments; they have regarded them as abiding, not as fleeting pleasures;

Greekοἱ ἐπικροτοῦντες πρὸς τὴν φωνὴν τῶν ὀργάνων, ὡς ἑστηκότα ἐλογίσαντο, καὶ οὐχ ὡς φεύγοντα,

KJV—

JPS—

ThomsonSome are drinking filtered wine and anointing themselves with most precious ointment, and have no feeling for the affliction of Joseph.

Brentonwho drink strained wine, and anoint themselves with the best ointment: and have suffered nothing on occasion of the calamity of Joseph.

Greekοἱ πίνοντες τὸν διυλισμένον οἶνον, καὶ τὰ πρῶτα μῦρα χριόμενοι, καὶ οὐκ ἔπασχον οὐδὲν ἐπὶ τῇ συντριβῇ Ἰωσήφ.

KJVThat drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.

JPSThat drink wine in bowls, And anoint themselves with the chief ointments; But they are not grieved for the hurt of Joseph.

ThomsonNow for this cause, from being a government of mighty people they shall be captives, and the neighing of horses shall be taken away from Ephraim.

BrentonTherefore now shall they depart into captivity from the dominion of princes, and the neighing of horses shall be cut off from Ephraim.

GreekΔιὰ τοῦτο νῦν αἰχμάλωτοι ἔσονται ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς δυναστῶν, καὶ ἐξαρθήσεται χρεμετισμὸς ἵππων ἐξ Ἐφραίμ·

KJV—

JPS—

ThomsonFor the Lord hath sworn by Himself: As I abhor all this haughtiness of Jacob and have hated all his regions, therefore I will destroy cities with their inhabitants.

BrentonFor the Lord has sworn by himself, saying, Because I abhor all the pride of Jacob, I do also hate his countries, and I will cut off his city with all who inhabit it.

GreekὍτι ὤμοσε Κύριος καθʼ ἑαυτοῦ, διότι βδελύσσομαι ἐγὼ πᾶσαν τὴν ὕβριν Ἰακὼβ, καὶ τὰς χώρας αὐτοῦ μεμίσηκα, καὶ ἐξαρῶ πόλιν σὺν πᾶσι τοῖς κατοικοῦσιν αὐτήν.

KJVThe Lord GOD hath sworn by himself, saith the LORD the God of hosts, I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces: therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein.

JPSThe Lord GOD hath sworn by Himself, Saith the LORD, the God of hosts: I abhor the pride of Jacob, And hate his palaces; And I will deliver up the city with all that is therein.

ThomsonAnd it shall come to pass that if ten chief men be left in one family, they shall die,

BrentonAnd it shall come to pass, if there be ten men left in one house, that they shall die.

GreekΚαὶ ἔσται, ἐὰν ὑπολειφθῶσι δέκα ἄνδρες ἐν οἰκίᾳ μιᾷ, καὶ ἀποθανοῦνται, καὶ ὑπολειφθήσονται οἱ κατάλοιποι,

KJVAnd it shall come to pass, if there remain ten men in one house, that they shall die.

JPSAnd it shall come to pass, if there remain ten men in one house, that they shall die.

Thomsonand the residue shall be left and their domestics shall succeed them. And when they are pressed to bring their bones out of the house, one will say to them who are over the family, Are there any more yet with thee? And when one will say, There is no more: then will one say, Forbear to mention the name of the Lord on this account;

BrentonBut a remnant shall be left behind, and their relations shall take them, and shall strenuously endeavour to carry forth their bones from the house: and one shall say to the heads of the house, Is there yet any one else with thee? And he shall say, No one else. And the other shall say, Be silent, that thou name not the name of the Lord.

Greekκαὶ λήψονται οἱ οἰκεῖοι αὐτῶν, καὶ παραβιῶνται τοῦ ἐξενέγκαι τὰ ὀστᾶ αὐτῶν ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου· καὶ ἐρεῖ τοῖς προεστηκόσι τῆς οἰκίας, εἰ ἔτι ὑπάρχει παρὰ σοί; Καὶ ἐρεῖ, οὐκ ἔτι· καὶ ἐρεῖ, σίγα ἕνεκα τοῦ μὴ ὀνομάσαι τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου.

KJVAnd a man’s uncle shall take him up, and he that burneth him, to bring out the bones out of the house, and shall say unto him that is by the sides of the house, Is there yet any with thee? and he shall say, No. Then shall he say, Hold thy tongue: for we may not make mention of the name of the LORD.

JPSAnd when a man’s uncle shall take him up, even he that burneth him, to bring out the bones out of the house, and shall say unto him that is in the innermost parts of the house: ‘Is there yet any with thee?’ and he shall say: ‘No’; then shall he say: ‘Hold thy peace; for we must not make mention of the name of the LORD.’

Thomsonfor behold the Lord commandeth, and He will smite the great house with breaches and the small house with fractures. j

BrentonFor, behold, the Lord commands, and he will smite the great house with breaches, and the little house with rents.

GreekΔιότι ἰδοὺ Κύριος ἐντέλλεται, καὶ πατάξει τὸν οἶκον τὸν μέγαν θλάσμασι, καὶ τὸν οἶκον τὸν μικρὸν ῥάγμασιν.

KJVFor, behold, the LORD commandeth, and he will smite the great house with breaches, and the little house with clefts.

JPSFor, behold, the LORD commandeth, And the great house shall be smitten into splinters, And the little house into chips.

ThomsonCan horses pursue among rocks? Will they refrain from whinnying a t females? Because you have turned judgment into fury, and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness,

BrentonWill horses run upon rocks? will they refrain from neighing at mares? for ye have turned judgment into poison, and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness:

GreekΕἰ διώξονται ἐν πέτραις ἵπποι; εἰ παρασιωπήσονται ἐν θηλείαις; ὅτι ἐξεστρέψατε εἰς θυμὸν κρίμα, καὶ καρπὸν δικαιοσύνης εἰς πικρίαν,

KJVShall horses run upon the rock? will one plow there with oxen? for ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock:

JPSDo horses run upon the rocks? Doth one plow there with oxen? That ye have turned justice into gall, And the fruit of righteousness into wormwood;

Thomsonsome rejoicing in a thing of naught, and others saying, Have we not by our own strength taken horns?

Brentonye who rejoice at vanity, who say, Have we not possessed horns by our own strength?

Greekοἱ εὐφραινόμενοι ἐπʼ οὐδενὶ λόγῳ, οἱ λέγοντες, οὐκ ἐν τῃ ἰσχύϊ ἡμῶν ἔσχομεν κέρατα;

KJVYe which rejoice in a thing of nought, which say, Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?

JPSYe that rejoice in a thing of nought, That say: ‘Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?’

ThomsonTherefore, behold I will raise up against you, 0 house of Israel, a nation, saith the Lord of hosts, who shall afflict you that you may not enter the bay of Aimath, nor approach the brook at the settings of the sun

BrentonFor behold, O house of Israel, I will raise up against you a nation, saith the Lord of hosts; and they shall afflict you so that ye shall not enter into Æmath, and as it were from the river of the wilderness.

GreekΔιότι ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἐπεγερῶ ἐφʼ ὑμᾶς οἶκος Ἰσραὴλ ἔθνος, λέγει Κύριος τῶν δυνάμεων, καὶ ἐκθλίψουσιν ὑμᾶς τοῦ μὴ εἰσελθεῖν εἰς Αἰμὰθ, καὶ ὡς τοῦ χειμάῤῥου τῶν δυσμῶν.

KJVBut, behold, I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel, saith the LORD the God of hosts; and they shall afflict you from the entering in of Hemath unto the river of the wilderness.

JPSFor, behold, I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel, saith the LORD, the God of hosts; and they shall afflict you from the entrance of Hamath unto the Brook of the Arabah.