Isaiah, 46

¹ Bel has bent down, Neʹbo is stooping over; their idols have come to be for the wild beasts and for the domestic animals, their loads, pieces of luggage, a burden for the tired animals.

² They must stoop over; they must each alike bend down; they are simply unable to furnish escape for the burden, but into captivity their own soul must go.

³ “Listen to me, O house of Jacob, and all YOU remaining ones^*1 of the house of Israel, YOU the ones conveyed [by me] from the belly, the ones carried from the womb.

⁴ Even to [one’s] old age I am the same One; and to [one’s] gray-headedness I myself shall keep bearing up. I myself shall certainly act, that I myself may carry and that I myself may bear up and furnish escape.

⁵ “To whom will YOU people liken me or make [me] equal or compare me that we may resemble each other?

⁶ There are those who are lavishing out the gold from the purse, and with the scale beam they weigh out the silver. They hire a metalworker, and he makes it into a god.^*1 They prostrate themselves, yes, they bow down.

⁷ They carry it upon the shoulder, they bear it and deposit it in its place that it may stand still. From its standing place it does not move away. One even cries out to it, but it does not answer; out of one’s distress it does not save one.

⁸ “Remember this, that YOU people may muster up courage.^*1 Lay it to heart, YOU transgressors.

⁹ Remember the first things of a long time ago, that I am the Divine One^*1 and there is no other God,^*2 nor anyone like me;

¹⁰ the One telling from the beginning the finale, and from long ago the things that have not been done; the One saying, ‘My own counsel will stand, and everything that is my delight I shall do’;

¹² “Listen to me, YOU the ones powerful at heart, YOU the ones far away from righteousness.

¹³ I have brought near my righteousness. It is not far away, and my own salvation will not be late. And I will give in Zion salvation, to Israel my beauty.”