1 H ear ye the word which Jehovah speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:

Hear the word which the Lord speaks to you, O house of Israel.

2 t hus saith Jehovah, Learn not the way of the nations, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the nations are dismayed at them.

Thus says the Lord: “Do not learn the way of the Gentiles; Do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven, For the Gentiles are dismayed at them.

3 F or the customs of the peoples are vanity; for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the axe.

For the customs of the peoples are futile; For one cuts a tree from the forest, The work of the hands of the workman, with the ax.

4 T hey deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.

They decorate it with silver and gold; They fasten it with nails and hammers So that it will not topple.

5 T hey are like a palm-tree, of turned work, and speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.

They are upright, like a palm tree, And they cannot speak; They must be carried, Because they cannot go by themselves. Do not be afraid of them, For they cannot do evil, Nor can they do any good.”

6 T here is none like unto thee, O Jehovah; thou art great, and thy name is great in might.

Inasmuch as there is none like You, O Lord (You are great, and Your name is great in might),

7 W ho should not fear thee, O King of the nations? for to thee doth it appertain; forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their royal estate, there is none like unto thee.

Who would not fear You, O King of the nations? For this is Your rightful due. For among all the wise men of the nations, And in all their kingdoms, There is none like You.

8 B ut they are together brutish and foolish: the instruction of idols! it is but a stock.

But they are altogether dull-hearted and foolish; A wooden idol is a worthless doctrine.

9 T here is silver beaten into plates, which is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the artificer and of the hands of the goldsmith; blue and purple for their clothing; they are all the work of skilful men.

Silver is beaten into plates; It is brought from Tarshish, And gold from Uphaz, The work of the craftsman And of the hands of the metalsmith; Blue and purple are their clothing; They are all the work of skillful men.

10 B ut Jehovah is the true God; he is the living God, and an everlasting King: at his wrath the earth trembleth, and the nations are not able to abide his indignation.

But the Lord is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King. At His wrath the earth will tremble, And the nations will not be able to endure His indignation.

11 T hus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, these shall perish from the earth, and from under the heavens.

Thus you shall say to them: “The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens.”

12 H e hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding hath he stretched out the heavens:

He has made the earth by His power, He has established the world by His wisdom, And has stretched out the heavens at His discretion.

13 w hen he uttereth his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasuries.

When He utters His voice, There is a multitude of waters in the heavens: “And He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, He brings the wind out of His treasuries.”

14 E very man is become brutish and is without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his graven image; for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.

Everyone is dull-hearted, without knowledge; Every metalsmith is put to shame by an image; For his molded image is falsehood, And there is no breath in them.

15 T hey are vanity, a work of delusion: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.

They are futile, a work of errors; In the time of their punishment they shall perish.

16 T he portion of Jacob is not like these; for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance: Jehovah of hosts is his name.

The Portion of Jacob is not like them, For He is the Maker of all things, And Israel is the tribe of His inheritance; The Lord of hosts is His name. The Coming Captivity of Judah

17 G ather up thy wares out of the land, O thou that abidest in the siege.

Gather up your wares from the land, O inhabitant of the fortress!

18 F or thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this time, and will distress them, that they may feel it.

For thus says the Lord: “Behold, I will throw out at this time The inhabitants of the land, And will distress them, That they may find it so. ”

19 W oe is me because of my hurt! my wound is grievous: but I said, Truly this is my grief, and I must bear it.

Woe is me for my hurt! My wound is severe. But I say, “Truly this is an infirmity, And I must bear it.”

20 M y tent is destroyed, and all my cords are broken: my children are gone forth from me, and they are not: there is none to spread my tent any more, and to set up my curtains.

My tent is plundered, And all my cords are broken; My children have gone from me, And they are no more. There is no one to pitch my tent anymore, Or set up my curtains.

21 F or the shepherds are become brutish, and have not inquired of Jehovah: therefore they have not prospered, and all their flocks are scattered.

For the shepherds have become dull-hearted, And have not sought the Lord; Therefore they shall not prosper, And all their flocks shall be scattered.

22 T he voice of tidings, behold, it cometh, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah a desolation, a dwelling-place of jackals.

Behold, the noise of the report has come, And a great commotion out of the north country, To make the cities of Judah desolate, a den of jackals.

23 O Jehovah, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.

O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.

24 O Jehovah, correct me, but in measure: not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.

O Lord, correct me, but with justice; Not in Your anger, lest You bring me to nothing.

25 P our out thy wrath upon the nations that know thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy name: for they have devoured Jacob, yea, they have devoured him and consumed him, and have laid waste his habitation.

Pour out Your fury on the Gentiles, who do not know You, And on the families who do not call on Your name; For they have eaten up Jacob, Devoured him and consumed him, And made his dwelling place desolate.