Isaiah 46
1 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!
Bel crouches; Nebo cowers. Their idols weigh down beasts and cattle. The images you carry are burdensome, a load to the weary animal.
2 They have cowered they have crouched at once, And they cannot rescue the burden, —But their own soul, into captivity, hath departed.
The gods cower; they crouch together, unable to relieve the burden; but they themselves go into captivity.
3 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:
“Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been sustained from the womb, carried along since birth.
4 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,
Even to your old age, I will be the same, and I will bear you up when you turn gray. I have made you, and I will carry you; I will sustain you and deliver you.
5 To whom can ye liken me or make me equal? Or compare me, and we be like?
To whom will you liken Me or count Me equal? To whom will you compare Me, that we should be alike?
6 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;
They pour out their bags of gold and weigh out silver on scales; they hire a goldsmith to fashion it into a god, so they can bow down and worship.
7 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.
They lift it to their shoulder and carry it along; they set it in its place, and there it stands, not budging from that spot. They cry out to it, but it does not answer; it saves no one from his troubles.
8 Remember ye this and shew yourselves men, —Bring it back, ye transgressors, to your minds;
Remember this and be brave; take it to heart, you transgressors!
9 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!
Remember what happened long ago, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me.
10 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;
I declare the end from the beginning, and ancient times from what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish.’
11 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.
I summon a bird of prey from the east, a man for My purpose from a far-off land. Truly I have spoken, and truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, and I will surely do it.
12 Hearken unto me, Ye valiant of heart, —Who are far away from righteousness:
Listen to Me, you stubborn people, far removed from righteousness:
13 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.
I am bringing My righteousness near; it is not far away, and My salvation will not be delayed. I will grant salvation to Zion and adorn Israel with My splendor.
