Bible in Basic English
Who are resting on beds of ivory, stretched out on soft seats, feasting on lambs from the flock and young oxen from the cattle-house;
Making foolish songs to the sound of corded instruments, and designing for themselves instruments of music, like David;
Drinking wine in basins, rubbing themselves with the best oils; but they have no grief for the destruction of Joseph.
So now they will go away prisoners with the first of those who are made prisoners, and the loud cry of those who were stretched out will come to an end.
The Lord God has taken an oath by himself, says the Lord, the God of armies: the pride of Jacob is disgusting to me, and I have hate for his great houses: so I will give up the town with everything in it.
Then it will come about that if there are still ten men in a house, death will overtake them.
And when a man's relation, even the one who is responsible for burning his body, lifting him up to take his bones out of the house, says to him who is in the inmost part of the house, Is there still anyone with you? and he says, No; then he will say, Keep quiet, for the name of the Lord may not be named.
For see, at the order of the Lord the great house will be full of cracks and the little house will be broken.
Is it possible for horses to go running on the rock? may the sea be ploughed with oxen? for the right to be turned by you into poison, and the fruit of righteousness into a bitter plant?
You whose joy is in a thing of no value, who say, Have we not taken for ourselves horns by the strength which is ours?
For see, I will send against you a nation, O Israel, says the Lord, the God of armies, ruling you cruelly from the way into Hamath as far as the stream of the Arabah.
— Amos 6:4-1964, Bible in Basic English
“that 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; that sing idle songs to the sound of the viol; that invent for themselves instruments of music, like David; that drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief oils; but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph. Therefore shall they now go captive with the first that go captive; and the revelry of them that stretched themselves shall pass away. The Lord Jehovah hath sworn by himself, saith Jehovah, 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. And it shall come to pass, if there remain ten men in one house, that they shall die. And 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 may not make mention of the name of Jehovah. For, behold, Jehovah commandeth, and the great house shall be smitten with breaches, and the little house with clefts. Shall horses run upon the rock? will one plowtherewith oxen? that ye have turned justice into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood; ye that rejoice in a thing of nought, that say, Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength? For, behold, I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel, saith Jehovah, the God of hosts; and they shall afflict you from the entrance of Hamath unto the brook of the Arabah. ”
“They lie around on beds decorated with ivory, and sprawl out on their couches. They eat lambs from the flock, and calves from the middle of the pen. They sing to the tune of stringed instruments; like David they invent musical instruments. They drink wine from sacrificial bowls, and pour the very best oils on themselves. Yet they are not concerned over the ruin of Joseph. Therefore they will now be the first to go into exile, and the religious banquets where they sprawl on couches will end. The Sovereign LORD confirms this oath by his very own life. The LORD God of Heaven’s Armies, is speaking:“I despise Jacob’s arrogance; I hate their fortresses. I will hand over to their enemies the city of Samaria and everything in it.” If ten men are left in one house, they too will die. When their close relatives, the ones who will burn the corpses, pick up their bodies to remove the bones from the house, they will say to anyone who is in the inner rooms of the house,“Is anyone else with you?” He will respond,“No one.” Then he will say,“Hush! Don’t invoke the LORD’s name!” Indeed, look! The LORD is giving the command. He will smash the large house to bits, and the small house into little pieces. Can horses run on rocky cliffs? Can one plow the sea with oxen? Yet you have turned justice into a poisonous plant, and the fruit of righteous actions into a bitter plant. You are happy because you conquered Lo-Debar. You say,“Did we not conquer Karnaim by our own power?” “Look! I am about to bring a nation against you, family of Israel.” The LORD, the God who commands armies, is speaking.“They will oppress you all the way from Lebo Hamath to the stream of the rift valley.””
“You that sleep upon beds of ivory, and are wanton on your couches: that eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the herd; You that sing to the sound of the psaltery: they have thought themselves to have instruments of music like David; That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the best ointments: and they are not concerned for the affliction of Joseph. Wherefore now they shall go captive at the head of them that go into captivity: and the faction of the luxurious ones shall be taken away. The Lord God hath sworn by his own soul, saith the Lord the God of hosts: I detest the pride of Jacob, and I hate his houses, and I will deliver up the city with the inhabitants thereof. And if there remain ten men in one house, they also shall die. And a man's kinsman shall take him up, and shall burn him, that he may carry the bones out of the house; and he shall say to him that is in the inner rooms of the house: Is there yet any with thee? And he shall answer: There is an end. And he shall say to him: Hold thy peace, and mention not the name of the Lord. For behold the Lord hath commanded, and he will strike the greater house with breaches, and the lesser house with clefts. Can horses run upon the rocks, or can any one plough with buffles? for you have turned judgment into bitterness, and the fruit of justice into wormwood. You that rejoice in a thing of nought: you that say: Have we not taken unto us horns by our own strength? But behold, I will raise up a nation against you, O house of Israel, saith the Lord the God of hosts; and they shall destroy you from the entrance of Emath, even to the torrent of the desert. ”
Sorrow to those who are resting in comfort in Zion, and to those who have no fear of danger in the mountain of Samaria, the noted men of the chief of the nations, to whom the people of Israel come!
Go on to Calneh and see; and from there go to Hamath the great; then go down to Gath of the Philistines: are you better than these kingdoms? or is your land wider than theirs?
You who put far away the evil day, causing the rule of the violent to come near;
Who are resting on beds of ivory, stretched out on soft seats, feasting on lambs from the flock and young oxen from the cattle-house;
Making foolish songs to the sound of corded instruments, and designing for themselves instruments of music, like David;
Drinking wine in basins, rubbing themselves with the best oils; but they have no grief for the destruction of Joseph.
So now they will go away prisoners with the first of those who are made prisoners, and the loud cry of those who were stretched out will come to an end.
The Lord God has taken an oath by himself, says the Lord, the God of armies: the pride of Jacob is disgusting to me, and I have hate for his great houses: so I will give up the town with everything in it.
Then it will come about that if there are still ten men in a house, death will overtake them.
And when a man's relation, even the one who is responsible for burning his body, lifting him up to take his bones out of the house, says to him who is in the inmost part of the house, Is there still anyone with you? and he says, No; then he will say, Keep quiet, for the name of the Lord may not be named.
For see, at the order of the Lord the great house will be full of cracks and the little house will be broken.
Is it possible for horses to go running on the rock? may the sea be ploughed with oxen? for the right to be turned by you into poison, and the fruit of righteousness into a bitter plant?
You whose joy is in a thing of no value, who say, Have we not taken for ourselves horns by the strength which is ours?
For see, I will send against you a nation, O Israel, says the Lord, the God of armies, ruling you cruelly from the way into Hamath as far as the stream of the Arabah.