Isaiah 46
1 Bel bows down. Nebo stoops. Their idols are carried by animals, and on the livestock. The things that you carried around are heavy loads, a burden for the weary.
Bel, hath crouched, Nebo, is cowering, Their images, are delivered up to beast and to cattle, —The things ye carried about, are become a load, A burden, to the weary!
2 They stoop and they bow down together. They could not deliver the burden, but they have gone into captivity.
They have cowered they have crouched at once, And they cannot rescue the burden, —But their own soul, into captivity, hath departed.
3 “Listen to me, house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, that have been carried from their birth, that have been carried from the womb.
Hearken unto me O house of Jacob, Even all the remnant of the house of Israel, —Who have been borne from birth, Who have been carried from nativity:
4 Even to old age I am he, and even to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear. Yes, I will carry, and will deliver.
Even unto old age, I, am, the same, And unto grey hairs, I, will bear the burden, —I have made and, I, will carry, Yea, I, will bear the burden and will deliver,
5 “To whom will you compare me, and consider my equal, and compare me, as if we were the same?
To whom can ye liken me or make me equal? Or compare me, and we be like?
6 Some pour out gold from the bag, and weigh silver in the balance. They hire a goldsmith, and he makes it a god. They fall down— yes, they worship.
They who pour gold out of a purse, And who weigh silver in a balance, —Who hire a goldsmith that he may make it into a GOD, They adore, yea they bow down;
7 They bear it on their shoulder. They carry it, and set it in its place, and it stands there. It cannot move from its place. Yes, one may cry to it, yet it can not answer. It cannot save him out of his trouble.
They carry him about on the shoulder They bear the burden of him—and set him in his place that he may stand, —Out of his place, will he not move, —Though one even make outcry unto him, he will not answer, Out of one’s trouble, he will not save him.
8 “Remember this, and show yourselves men. Bring it to mind again, you transgressors.
Remember ye this and shew yourselves men, —Bring it back, ye transgressors, to your minds;
9 Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other. I am God, and there is none like me.
Remember ye the things named in advance from age-past times, —For, I, am, The Mighty One, and there is none else, The Adorable and there is none like me!
10 I declare the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done. I say: My counsel will stand, and I will do all that I please.
Declaring from the beginning, the latter end, And from olden time, that which had never been done, —Saying My purpose shall stand, and All my pleasure, will I perform;
11 I call a ravenous bird from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. Yes, I have spoken. I will also bring it to pass. I have planned. I will also do it.
Calling, From the East, a Bird of Prey, From a far country, the Man I intended, —Yea I have spoken I will also bring it to pass, I have planned, I will also do it.
12 Listen to me, you stubborn-hearted, who are far from righteousness!
Hearken unto me, Ye valiant of heart, —Who are far away from righteousness:
13 I bring my righteousness near. It is not far off, and my salvation will not wait. I will grant salvation to Zion, my glory to Israel.
I have brought near my righteousness. It shall not be far away, And my deliverance, shall not linger, —But I will give In Zion, deliverance, To Israel, my glory.
