Isaiah 46

1 Bel is broken, Nebo is destroyed: their idols are put upon beasts and cattle, your burdens of heavy weight even unto weariness.

Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: your carriages were heavily loaded; they were a burden to the weary beast.

2 They are consumed, and are broken together: they could not save him that carried them, and they themselves shall go into captivity.

They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but themselves have gone into captivity.

3 Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who are carried by my bowels, are borne up by my womb.

Hearken to me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, who are borne by me from birth, who are carried from the womb:

4 Even to your old age I am the same, and to your grey hairs I will carry you: I have made you, and I will bear: I will carry and will save.

And even to your old age I am he; and even to gray hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.

5 To whom have you likened me, and made me equal, and compared me, and made me like?

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

6 You that contribute gold out of the bag, and weigh out silver in the scales: and hire a goldsmith to make a god: and they fall down and worship.

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

7 They bear him on their shoulders and carry him, and set him in his piece, and he shall stand, and shall not stir out of his place. Yea, when they shall cry also unto him, he shall not hear: he shall not save them from tribulation.

They bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place, and he standeth; from his place shall he not move: yea, one shall cry to him, yet he cannot answer, nor save him out of his trouble.

8 Remember this, and be ashamed: return, ye transgressors, to the heart.

Remember this, and show yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors.

9 Remember the former age, for I am God, and there is no God beside, neither is there the like to me:

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

10 Who shew from the beginning the things that shall be at last, and from ancient times the things that as yet are not done, saying: My counsel shall stand, and all my will shall be done:

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 Who call a bird from the east, and from a far country the man of my own will, and I have spoken, and will bring it to pass: I have created, and I will do it.

Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also perform it.

12 Hear me, O ye hardhearted, who are far from justice.

Hearken to me, ye stubborn in heart, that are far from righteousness:

13 I have brought my justice near, it shall not be afar off: and my salvation shall not tarry. I will give salvation in Sion, and my glory in Israel.

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