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 bows down, Nebo stoops, their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: your carriages were heavy loaded; they are a burden to the weary beast.

2 who will not be able to save themselves from war, but they themselves are led [away] captive.

They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but themselves are gone 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:

Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the 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.

And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar 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 compared me? see, consider, you that go astray.

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

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.

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

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 bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place, and he stands; from his place shall he not remove: yea, one shall cry unto him, yet can he not answer, nor save him out of his trouble.

8 Remember you these things, and groan: repent, you that have gone astray, return in your heart;

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

9 and remember the former things [that were] of old: for I am God, and there is none other beside 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 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:

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 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.

Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executes 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 do it.

12 Listen to me, you senseless ones, that are far from righteousness:

Hearken unto me, all of you stouthearted, that are far from righteousness:

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