Isaiah 46
1 Bel bows down. Nebo stoops. Their idols are carried by animals, and on the livestock. The things that you carried around are heavy loads, a burden for the weary.
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;
2 They stoop and they bow down together. They could not deliver the burden, but they have gone into captivity.
who will not be able to save themselves from war, but they themselves are led [away] captive.
3 “Listen to me, house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, that have been carried from their birth, that have been carried from the womb.
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:
4 Even to old age I am he, and even to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear. Yes, I will carry, and will deliver.
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.
5 “To whom will you compare me, and consider my equal, and compare me, as if we were the same?
To whom have you compared me? see, consider, you that go astray.
6 Some pour out gold from the bag, and weigh silver in the balance. They hire a goldsmith, and he makes it a god. They fall down— yes, they worship.
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.
7 They bear it on their shoulder. They carry it, and set it in its place, and it stands there. It cannot move from its place. Yes, one may cry to it, yet it can not answer. It cannot save him out of his trouble.
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.
8 “Remember this, and show yourselves men. Bring it to mind again, you transgressors.
Remember you these things, and groan: repent, you that have gone astray, return in your heart;
9 Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other. I am God, and there is none like me.
and remember the former things [that were] of old: for I am God, and there is none other beside me,
10 I declare the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done. I say: My counsel will stand, and I will do all that I please.
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:
11 I call a ravenous bird from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. Yes, I have spoken. I will also bring it to pass. I have planned. I will also do it.
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.
12 Listen to me, you stubborn-hearted, who are far from righteousness!
Listen to me, you senseless ones, that are far from righteousness:
13 I bring my righteousness near. It is not far off, and my salvation will not wait. I will grant salvation to Zion, my glory to Israel.
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.
