1 B el has bowed down, Nebo stoops over; Their images are consigned to the beasts and the cattle. The things that you carry are burdensome, A load for the weary beast.

Bel is bowed down, Nebo bendeth; their idols are upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: the things ye carried are laid on, a burden to the weary.

2 T hey stooped over, they have bowed down together; They could not rescue the burden, But have themselves gone into captivity.

They bend, they are bowed down together; they could not deliver the burden, and themselves are gone into captivity.

3 “ Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, And all the remnant of the house of Israel, You who have been borne by Me from birth And have been carried from the womb;

Hearken unto me, house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, ye who have been borne from the belly, who have been carried from the womb:

4 E ven to your old age I will be the same, And even to your graying years I will bear you! I have done it, and I will carry you; And I will bear you and I will deliver you.

Even to old age, I HE, and unto hoary hairs I will carry: It is I that have made, and I will bear, and I will carry, and will deliver.

5 “ To whom would you liken Me And make Me equal and compare Me, That we would be alike?

To whom will ye liken me and make me equal, or compare me, that we may be like?

6 “ Those who lavish gold from the purse And weigh silver on the scale Hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god; They bow down, indeed they worship it.

—They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance; they hire a goldsmith, and he maketh it a god: they fall down, yea, they worship.

7 “ They lift it upon the shoulder and carry it; They set it in its place and it stands there. It does not move from its place. Though one may cry to it, it cannot answer; It cannot deliver him from his distress.

They bear him on the shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place; there he standeth, he doth not remove from his place: yea, one crieth unto him, and he answereth not; he saveth him not out of his trouble.

8 “ Remember this, and be assured; Recall it to mind, you transgressors.

Remember this, and shew yourselves men; call it to mind, ye transgressors.

9 “ Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me,

Remember the former things of old; for I God, and there is none else; God, and there is none like me;

10 D eclaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘ My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;

declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure;

11 C alling a bird of prey from the east, The man of My purpose from a far country. Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it.

calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. Yea, I have spoken, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.

12 “ Listen to Me, you stubborn-minded, Who are far from righteousness.

Hearken unto me, ye stout-hearted, that are far from righteousness:

13 “ I bring near My righteousness, it is not far off; And My salvation will not delay. And I will grant salvation in Zion, And My glory for Israel.

I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not delay; and I will give salvation in Zion, unto Israel my glory.