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 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 stoop and they bow down together. They could not deliver the burden, but they have 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 “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.
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 even to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear. Yes, 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 you compare me, and consider my equal, and compare me, as if we were the same?
To whom will ye liken and assimilate me, and compare me, that we may be like?
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.
[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 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 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 show yourselves men. Bring it to mind again, you 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 no other. 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 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.
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 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 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 Listen to me, you stubborn-hearted, who are far from righteousness!
Hearken unto me, ye stout of heart, 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; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will grant unto Zion salvation, unto Israel my glory.
