Esias 46
1 Bel has fallen, Nabo is broken to pieces, their graven images are gone to the wild beasts and the cattle: you take them packed up as a burden to the weary, exhausted, hungry, and [at the same time] helpless man;
Bel has been broken. Nebo has been crushed. Their idols have been placed upon beasts and cattle, your grievous heavy burdens, even unto exhaustion.
2 who will not be able to save themselves from war, but they themselves are led [away] captive.
They have been melted down, or have been smashed together. They were not able to save the one who carried them, and their life will go into captivity.
3 Hear me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of Israel, who are borne [by me] from the womb, and taught [by me] from infancy, [even] to old age:
Listen to me, house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who are carried in my bosom, who were born from my womb.
4 I am [he]; and until you shall have grown old, I am [he]: I bear you, I have made, and I will relieve, I will take up and save you.
Even to your old age, I am the same. And even with your grey hairs, I will carry you. I have made you, and I will sustain you. I will carry you, and I will save you.
5 To whom have you compared me? see, consider, you that go astray.
To whom would you liken me, or equate me, or compare me, or consider me to be similar?
6 They that furnish gold out of a purse, and silver by weight, will weigh it in a scale, and they hire a goldsmith and make idols, and bow down, and worship them.
You take gold from a bag, and you weigh silver on a scale, so as to hire a goldsmith to make a god. And they fall prostrate and adore.
7 They bear it upon the shoulder, and go; and if they put it upon its place, it remains, it can’t move: and whoever shall cry to it, it can’t hear; it can’t save him from trouble.
They carry him on their shoulders, supporting him, and they set him in his place. And he will stand still and will not move from his place. But even when they will cry out to him, he will not hear. He will not save them from tribulation.
8 Remember you these things, and groan: repent, you that have gone astray, return in your heart;
Remember this, and be confounded. Return, you transgressors, to the heart.
9 and remember the former things [that were] of old: for I am God, and there is none other beside me,
Remember the past ages. For I am God, and there is no other god. There is no one like me.
10 telling beforehand the latter events before they come to pass, and they are accomplished together: and I said, all my counsel shall stand, and I will do all things that I have planned:
From the beginning, I announce the last things, and from the start, the things that have not yet been done, saying: My plan will stand firm, and my entire will shall be done.
11 calling a bird from the east, and from a land afar off, for the things which I have planned: I have spoken, and brought [him]; I have created and made [him]; I have brought him, and prospered his way.
I call a bird from the east, and from a far away land, the man of my will. And I have spoken it, and I will carry it out. I have created, and I will act.
12 Listen to me, you senseless ones, that are far from righteousness:
Hear me, you who are hard of heart, who are far from justice!
13 I have brought near my righteousness, and I will not be slow with the salvation that is from me: I have given salvation in Sion to Israel for glory.
I have brought my justice near. It will not be far away, and my salvation will not be delayed. I will grant salvation in Zion, and my glory in Israel.
