(1-2) The LORD says … punish them. See 1.3.
(3) Because they have rejected (Hebrew: despised) the law of the LORD, and have not kept his statutes/They have despised my teachings and have not kept my commands. In most languages the translation of the law of the LORD … his … has to be translated my … my…, since this is a section in which the Lord is speaking. However, in Hebrew this stylistic irregularity has a purpose, and this purpose is lost when the irregularity is smoothed out in translation. So, if it is at all possible to include the word LORD so as to keep the Hebrew emphasis, this should be done: “because they despised the law of me, the LORD” or “because they despised my teaching—the LORD’s teaching!—and have not kept my commandments.”
They have despised my teachings could be translated “they have rejected my teachings.” But if at all possible, it is better to use an expression which keeps some of the meaning of “contempt” (New American Bible and New English Bible use “spurned,” which is good where it is not too high a level of language).
Teachings and commands. The Hebrew terms are difficult to translate. In this particular context, the first Hebrew term means the whole of God’s will, and the second indicates specific rules. No such distinction can be made in many languages. If a distinction exists, it is often that between a “law” in some traditional and definite form, and a specific order given by some authority. There may also be a distinction between unwritten customary law and specific orders.
In cases like that, the local terms for traditional law, customary law, etc., should be used as equivalents of teachings; a word for the regulations of officials should be used as an equivalent for commands. In cases where only one term can be used in the receptor language, the sentence can be restructured: “because they have rejected my law.” This is not undertranslation since the two expressions are parallel in the Hebrew text and there is a high degree of overlapping between their meanings.
But their lies have led them astray, after which their fathers walked/They have been led astray by the same false gods that their ancestors served. Some modern English translations (Revised Standard Version, Smith-Goodspeed, New American Bible) translate lies literally, but this does not show the full meaning of the Hebrew. The Hebrew word for lies is here a reference to false gods or “idols,” which are considered to be producers, and probably also products, of lies. This reference has been made clear in some recent translations (Moffatt, New English Bible, Good News Translation), and such a translation is to be preferred. Whether it will be possible or necessary to qualify the “gods” as false will depend upon the word which has been selected in the translation to render gods. In some languages a diminutive plural “small gods” has been used with the implication of “useless,” “worthless,” and such a translation may be sufficient.
“Walked after” is a picture for served. In some languages the kind of grammatical construction will have to be changed: “the (false) gods which their ancestors served have led them astray (or: have made them do wrong).”
Quoted with permission from de Waard, Jan & Smalley, William A. A Handbook on Amos. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1979. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .