Seek good, and not evil, that you may live/Make it your aim to do what is right, not what is evil, so that you may live. On seek, see 5.4. The meaning of the Hebrew in this context is “to be concerned about,” “to devote oneself to”: “be concerned about what is good,” “devote yourself to what is good,” “strive after what is good,” Make it your aim to do what is right, etc. To keep the balance of wording with 4-6, a possible translation is “come back (or: turn back) to doing right instead of evil.”

And not evil/not what is evil. In some languages the verb may have to be repeated or another word with similar meaning used: “strive after what is good instead of pursuing what is evil.” In some languages the negative should be first: “don’t do evil things but work for what is right.”

That you may live/so that you may live. See 5.4.

The LORD, the God of hosts/the LORD God Almighty. See 3.13.

Will be with you/really will be with you. Some languages say “stay” or “live with you.” Others may use such expressions as “be/stay where you live,” “be/stay alongside you,” etc. The important thing is that the picture express the meaning of God’s power and help. In many languages the LORD … will be with you does this, but in other cases one may have to translate more directly: “will help you.”

As you have said/as you claim he is. A fuller statement of the meaning would be “just like you regularly/ habitually say that he is with you (or helping you).” How much of this will need to be expressed directly depends on the grammar of the receptor language.

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 .