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

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

2 T hus says the Lord, “ Do not learn the way of the nations, And do not be terrified by the signs of the heavens Although the nations are terrified by 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 delusion; Because it is wood cut from the forest, The work of the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool.

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

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

5 “ Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field are they, And they cannot speak; They must be carried, Because they cannot walk! Do not fear them, For they can do no harm, Nor can they do any 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 You, O Lord; You are great, and great is Your name in might.

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

7 W ho would not fear You, O King of the nations? Indeed it is Your due! For among all the wise men of the nations And in all their kingdoms, There is none like You.

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 altogether stupid and foolish In their discipline of delusion— their idol is wood!

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

9 B eaten silver is brought from Tarshish, And gold from Uphaz, The work of a craftsman and of the hands of a goldsmith; Violet and purple are their clothing; They are all the work of skilled 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 the Lord is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King. At His wrath the earth quakes, And the nations cannot endure 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 you shall say to them, “The gods that did not make the heavens and the earth will 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 I t is He who made the earth by His power, Who established the world by His wisdom; And by His understanding He has 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 utters His voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, And He causes the clouds to ascend from the end of the earth; He makes lightning for the rain, And brings out the wind from His storehouses.

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 stupid, devoid of knowledge; Every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols; For his molten images are deceitful, 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 worthless, a work of mockery; In the time of their punishment they will 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 the Maker of all is He, 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 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 P ick up your bundle from the ground, You who dwell under siege!

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

18 F or thus says the Lord, “Behold, I am slinging out the inhabitants of the land At this time, And will cause them distress, That they may be found.”

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 injury! My wound is incurable. But I said, “Truly this is a sickness, 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 ropes are broken; My sons have gone from me and are no more. There is no one to stretch out my tent again Or 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 have become stupid And have not sought the Lord; Therefore they have not prospered, And all their flock is 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 sound of a report! Behold, it comes— A great commotion out of the land of the north— To make the cities of Judah A desolation, a haunt 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 I know, O Lord, that a man’s way is not in himself, Nor is it in a man who walks 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 C orrect me, O Lord, but with justice; Not with Your anger, or You will 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 Your wrath on the nations that do not know You And on the families that do not call Your name; For they have devoured Jacob; 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.