English Standard Version ESV
New International Version NIV
18 Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD! Why would you have the day of the LORD? It is darkness, and not light,
18
Woe to you who long for the day of the LORD! Why do you long for the day of the LORD? That day will be darkness, not light.
19 as if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him, or went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall, and a serpent bit him.
19
It will be as though a man fled from a lion only to meet a bear, as though he entered his house and rested his hand on the wall only to have a snake bite him.
20 Is not the day of the LORD darkness, and not light, and gloom with no brightness in it?
20
Will not the day of the LORD be darkness, not light— pitch-dark, without a ray of brightness?
21 "I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.
21
“I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me.
22 Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them.
22
Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them.
23 Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen.
23
Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps.
24 But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
24
But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!
25 "Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
25
“Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the wilderness, people of Israel?
26 You shall take up Sikkuth your king, and Kiyyun your star-god--your images that you made for yourselves,
26
You have lifted up the shrine of your king, the pedestal of your idols, the star of your god — which you made for yourselves.
27 and I will send you into exile beyond Damascus," says the LORD, whose name is the God of hosts.
27
Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Damascus,” says the LORD, whose name is God Almighty.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.