Behold/And now. In Hebrew this is an expression which calls attention to something and often begins a strong final or climactic statement. Behold, of course, is not modern English, while and now is too weak, particularly with no paragraph break in the Good News Translation. A paragraph break and “so then” might be better in English here. The equivalent in many languages is more like the literal Hebrew.

I will press you down (Hebrew: meaning of word uncertain) in your place as a cart full of sheaves presses down/I will crush you to the ground, and you will groan like a cart loaded with grain. The key word in this verse is not clear in Hebrew. Discounting suggestions to change the text, six different meanings have been proposed:
(1) I will crush you (press you down) (Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New American Bible).
(2) I will make it groan under you (so with slight variants Smith-Goodspeed, The Translator’s Old Testament [alternative reading]; compare New English Bible).
(3) I will split (the earth) under you.
(4) I will bring you to a halt (The Translator’s Old Testament).
(5) I will make it shake (Zürcher Bibel [Zürcher Bibel]).
(6) I make your steps collapse (Moffatt).

Until more convincing evidence turns up it is not possible to say that any one of these is absolutely correct. Nevertheless, a choice has to be made, and it seems wise to choose one of the first three translations. All three carry the thought of a catastrophe, and this is exactly what one expects to find on the basis of the punishment we expect here. Also, a cart loaded with grain indicates “harvest,” which is often a Hebrew picture of God’s judgment.

The balanced organization of the Hebrew lines probably gives more weight to meaning (2), since this part of the balanced system has to do with Israel’s weakness without God (Appendix). If this meaning is followed, some kind of clear statement will be needed such as “(when I punish you) you will groan (with weakness) as a cart overloaded with grain groans.” In some languages, of course, the same word cannot be used for the pain of something alive and the sound of a cart, which may weaken the picture somewhat: “… you will groan … as a cart … squeaks/creaks.”

The word for cart should stand for any type of vehicle without motor and capable of carrying grain. It is often easier to say that the cart is loaded/overloaded with grain than to say that it is full of sheaves.

In Hebrew the focus is on the weight. Every language has its own ways of indicating that the cart is “overloaded.” It is not enough, however, to translate simply “a full load” (New English Bible), omitting the grain which represents harvest and judgment.

If translation (1) is chosen, the first part of Good News Translation can be followed: I will crush you to the ground “the way a cart full of grain is loaded down (or: is overloaded).”

Good News Translation, however, combines translations (1) and (2), using (1) for the first part and (2) for the second part of the verse, which is rather doubtful.

Translation (3) is a difficult picture to translate: “I will split the earth under you as a cart loaded with grain splits the earth,” as it is not clear what meaning this picture would have in the context.

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 .