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

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

2 T hus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen 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 customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.

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 upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because 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 F orasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O Lord; 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: forasmuch as 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 altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities.

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 workman, and of the hands of the founder: blue and purple is their clothing: they are all the work of cunning men.

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 the Lord is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to 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, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these 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 discretion.

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 multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.

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 brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded 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, and the work of errors: 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 he is the former of all things; and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: The Lord 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 wares out of the land, O inhabitant of the fortress.

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

18 F or thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this once, and will distress them, that they may find it so.

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 hurt! my wound is grievous; but I said, Truly this is a grief, and I must 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 tabernacle is spoiled, and all my cords are broken: my children are gone forth of 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 pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the Lord: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be 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 B ehold, the noise of the bruit is come, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah desolate, and a den of dragons.

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

24 O Lord, 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 heathen that know thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy name: for they have eaten up Jacob, and devoured him, and consumed him, and have made his habitation desolate.

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.