¹⁸  Alas for you who desire the day of the LORD!
        Why do you want the day of the LORD?
    It is darkness, not light;
¹⁹  as if someone fled from a lion,
        and was met by a bear;
    or went into the house and rested a hand against the wall,
        and was bitten by a snake.
²⁰  Is not the day of the LORD darkness, not light,
        and gloom with no brightness in it?

²¹  I hate, I despise your festivals,
        and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.
²²  Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,
        I will not accept them;
    and the offerings of well-being of your fatted animals
        I will not look upon.
²³  Take away from me the noise of your songs;
        I will not listen to the melody of your harps.
²⁴  But let justice roll down like waters,
        and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

²⁵ Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? ²⁶You shall take up Sakkuth your king, and Kaiwan your star-god, your images, which you made for yourselves; ²⁷therefore I will take you into exile beyond Damascus, says the LORD, whose name is the God of hosts.