And in all vineyards there shall be wailing/There will be wailing in all the vineyards. “People will be wailing in all the vineyards” (see verse 16). In many societies, even if the vineyards are known, the idea of wailing in such places is culturally very strange. There should, perhaps, be some form of explanatory note saying that vineyards were normally places of laughing and fun, especially when grapes were harvested; wailing in the vineyards thus creates a very effective contrast for the original hearers. One possible translation might be “people will be wailing instead of laughing/playing in all the vineyards.”

For I will pass through the midst of you/All this will take place because I am coming to punish you. All this will take place makes clear that the conclusion refers to the whole paragraph and not only to the last sentence. Pass through means punishment here. Some translations could keep the poetic picture by saying something like the The Translator’s Old Testament: “because I shall pass through your country to punish you.” Otherwise, because I am coming to punish you is possible. In some languages the translation will be more natural with “when” instead of because.

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 .