1 H ear the word that Jehovah speaketh unto you, 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 the heavens; for the nations are dismayed at them.

Thus 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,

3 F or the statutes of the peoples are vanity; for a tree cut out of the forest, worked with a chisel by the hands of the artizan;

For 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.

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

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

5 T hey are as a palm-column of turned work, and they speak not; they are carried, for they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.

are 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.

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

None at all is like You, O Lord; You are great, and Your name is great in might.

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

Who 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.

8 B ut they are one and all senseless and foolish; the teaching of vanities is a stock.

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

9 S ilver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the artizan and of the hands of the founder; blue and purple is their clothing: they are all the work of skilful.

Silver 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.

10 B ut Jehovah Elohim is truth; he is the living God, and the King of eternity. At his wrath the earth trembleth, and the nations cannot abide his indignation.

But 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.

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 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.

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

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

13 W hen he uttereth his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the end 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 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.

14 E very man is become brutish, bereft of knowledge; every founder is put to shame by the graven image, for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.

Every 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.

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

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

16 T he portion of Jacob is not like them; for it is he that hath formed all, and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: Jehovah of hosts is his name.

The 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.

17 G ather up thy baggage out of the land, O inhabitress of the fortress.

Gather up your bundle from the ground, O you who dwell under siege.

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

For 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.

19 W oe is me, for my wound! My stroke is hard to heal, and I had said, Yea, this is grief, and I will bear it.

Woe 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.

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

My 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.

21 F or the shepherds are become brutish, and have not sought Jehovah; therefore have they not acted wisely, and all their flock is scattered.

For 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.

22 T he voice of a rumour! 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.

Hark, 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.

23 I know, Jehovah, that the way of man is not his own; it is not in a man that walketh to direct his steps.

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

24 J ehovah, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.

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.

25 P our out thy fury upon the nations that know thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy name; for they have eaten up Jacob, yea, they have eaten him up and consumed him, and have laid waste his dwelling-place.

Pour 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.