Isaiah 46
1 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 [beast].
Bel is bowed down, Nebo sinketh, their idols are [delivered] unto the beasts, and unto the cattle; those which were once carried by you are now laden up a burden to the weary beasts.
2 They bend, they are bowed down together; they could not deliver the burden, and themselves are gone into captivity.
They are sunk, they are bowed down together; they could not deliver the burden, but they themselves are gone into captivity.
3 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:
Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, who are borne [by me] from their birth, who are carried from the womb;
4 Even to old age, I [am] HE, and unto hoary hairs I will carry [you]: It is I that have made, and I will bear, and I will carry, and will deliver.
And even unto old age I am the same; and even unto the time of hoary hairs will I bear: l have done it, and I will carry [you]; even I will bear, and deliver you.
5 To whom will ye liken me and make me equal, or compare me, that we may be like?
To whom will ye liken and assimilate me, and compare me, that we may be like?
6 — 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.
[There are those] that lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance; that hire a melter, that he may make of it a god; they [then] bend the knee, yea, they bow themselves down;
7 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.
They carry him, upon the shoulder they bear him, and set up him in his spot, and he remaineth standing, from his place he doth not move: yea, though one should cry unto him, he cannot answer, out of his trouble he cannot help him.
8 Remember this, and shew yourselves men; call it to mind, ye transgressors.
Remember this, and take courage: take it again to heart, O ye transgressors.
9 Remember the former things of old; for I [am] God, and there is none else; [I am] God, and there is none like me;
Remember the former things of olden times; for I am God, and there is no one else; I am God, and there is nothing like me.
10 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;
Declaring from the beginning the end, and from the earliest days the things that have not yet been done, saying, My counsel shall stand firm, and all my pleasure will I do:
11 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.
Calling from the east the eagle, from a far-off country the man of my counsel; yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also execute it.
12 Hearken unto me, ye stout-hearted, that are far from righteousness:
Hearken unto me, ye stout of heart, that are far from righteousness:
13 I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not delay; and I will give salvation in Zion, [and] unto Israel my glory.
I have brought near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will grant unto Zion salvation, unto Israel my glory.
