1 H ear the word which the Lord speaks to you, O house of Israel.

¶ Hear ye the word which the LORD has spoken over you, O house of Israel:

2 T hus says the Lord: Learn not the way of the nations and be not dismayed at the signs of the heavens, though they are dismayed at them,

Thus hath the LORD said, Do not learn the way of the Gentiles, and do not fear the signs of heaven, even though the Gentiles fear them.

3 F or the customs and ordinances of the peoples are false, empty, and futile; it is but a tree which one cuts out of the forest, the work of the hands of the craftsman with the ax or other tool.

For the customs of the peoples are vanity: for one cuts a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.

4 T hey deck with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers so it will not fall apart or move around.

They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails, that it not move.

5 a re like pillars of turned work, like scarecrows in a cucumber field; they cannot speak; they have to be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it possible for them to do good.

They compare them to the palm tree, and they do not speak: they must be carried, because they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither do they have power to do good.

6 N one at all is like You, O Lord; You are great, and Your name is great in might.

Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great, and thy name is great in might.

7 W ho would not fear You, O King of the nations? For it is fitting to You and Your due! For among all the wise of the nations and in all their kingdoms, there is none like You.

Who would not fear thee, O King of the Gentiles? for unto thee does it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the Gentiles and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee.

8 B ut they are altogether irrational and stupid and foolish. Their instruction is given by idols who are but wood!

But they shall become altogether carnal and foolish. The stock is a doctrine of vanities.

9 S ilver beaten is brought from Tarshish and gold from Uphaz, the work of the craftsman and of the hands of the goldsmith; the clothing is violet and purple—they are all the work of skillful men.

Silver spread into plates shall be brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, shall the workman work and the hands of the founder: they shall dress them in blue and purple: they are all the work of cunning men.

10 B ut the Lord is the true God and the God of truth (the God Who is Truth). He is the living God and the everlasting King. At His wrath the earth quakes, and the nations are not able to bear His indignation.

But the LORD God is the Truth, he himself is Living God and Everlasting King: at his wrath the earth trembles, and the Gentiles shall not be able to abide his indignation.

11 T hus shall you say to them: The gods, who did not make the heavens and the earth, shall perish from the earth and from under the heavens.

Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens or the earth, even they shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens.

12 G od made the earth by His power; He established the world by His wisdom and by His understanding and skill stretched out the heavens.

He that makes the earth by his power, he that orders the world with his wisdom and extends the heavens with his intelligence:

13 W hen He utters His voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth. He makes lightnings for the rain and brings forth the wind out from His treasuries and from His storehouses.

at his voice, there is given a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causes the clouds to ascend from the ends of the earth; he makes the lightnings with the rain and brings forth the wind out of his treasures.

14 E very man has become like a brute, irrational and stupid, without knowledge; every goldsmith is brought to shame by his graven idols; for his molten images are frauds and falsehood, and there is no breath in them.

Every man is carnal in his knowledge: let every founder be ashamed of his graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no spirit in them.

15 T hey are devoid of worth, usefulness, or truth, a work of delusion and mockery; in their time of trial and punishment they shall perish.

They are vanity and the work of scorn: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.

16 T he Portion of Jacob is not like these, for He is the Fashioner and Maker of all things, and Israel is the tribe of His inheritance—the Lord of hosts is His name.

The portion of Jacob is not like them: for he is the Former of all things, and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: The LORD of the hosts is his name.

17 G ather up your bundle from the ground, O you who dwell under siege.

¶ Gather up thy wares out of the lands, O inhabitant of the fortress.

18 F or thus says the Lord: Behold, I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this time and will bring distress on them, that they may feel it and find it.

For thus hath the LORD said, Behold, that this time I will throw out the inhabitants of the land with a sling and will afflict them, that they may find it.

19 W oe is me because of my hurt! My wound is grievous and incurable. But I said, Surely this sickness and suffering and grief are mine, and I must endure, tolerate, and bear them.

Woe is me for my hurt! my wound is grievous, but I said, Truly this is my sickness, and I must bear it.

20 M y tent (home) is taken by force and plundered, and all my cords are broken. My children have gone forth from me, and they are no more; there is no one to stretch forth my tent any more and to set up my curtains.

My tent is destroyed, and all my cords are broken: my sons were taken from me, and they are lost; there is no one to stretch forth my tent any more and to set up my curtains.

21 F or the shepherds have become like brutes, irrational and stupid, and have not sought the Lord or inquired of Him or required Him. Therefore they have not dealt prudently and have not prospered, and all their flocks are scattered.

For the pastors are become carnal and have not sought the LORD; therefore they did not understand, and all their flocks scattered.

22 H ark, the sound of a rumor! comes!—a great commotion out of the north country—to make the cities of Judah a desolation, a dwelling place of jackals.

Behold, the voice of the rumour is come, and a great commotion out of the land of the north wind to make the cities of Judah desolate and a den of dragons.

23 O Lord, I know that the way of a man is not in himself; it is not in man to direct his steps.

O LORD, I know that man is not the lord of his own way: it is not in man that walks to order his steps.

24 O Lord, correct, instruct, and chastise me, but with judgment and in just measure—not in Your anger, lest You diminish me and bring me to nothing.

O LORD, chastise me, but with judgment; not with thine anger lest thou bring me to nothing.

25 P our out Your wrath upon the nations that do not know or recognize You and upon the peoples that do not call upon Your name. For they have devoured Jacob, yes, devoured him and consumed him and made his habitation a desolate waste.

Pour out thy fury upon the Gentiles that do not know thee and upon the nations that do not call on thy name: for they have eaten up Jacob and devoured him and consumed him and have destroyed his habitation.