Seek the LORD and live/Go to the LORD, and you will live. Here again there is a change from the LORD speaking to the prophet speaking. If the translator is not trying to translate so that the balanced organization of 4b-6a will be clear in translation, the change of speaker will present little problem. However, if one is trying to get an effect like the Hebrew balance in translation, the change can be difficult. One way, if necessary, is to move the beginning of Amos’ own words to verse 6b, and have the LORD continue to speak here.

Lest/If you do not go. It is much better to start with a new sentence here. The relations between the two sentences should, however, be clearly stated. The following judgment depends on the way in which people will act; for instance, If you do not go … or simply “if not….”

Lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and it devour, with none to quench it for Bethel/If you do not, he will sweep down like fire on the people of Israel. The fire will burn up the people of Bethel, and no one will be able to put it out. The Hebrew sentence structure is not very clear, as can be seen from the Revised Standard Version. However, an analysis into the kernel sentences and a restructuring of these sentences to an acceptable level in the language will certainly give a translation not very different from that of Good News Translation. Instead of saying he will sweep down, the translator may have to say “he will come like a great fire burning.”

House of Joseph/the people of Israel. In Good News Translation the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh have been replaced by the whole group to which house of Joseph refers.

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 .