1 Bel has fallen, Nabo is broken to pieces, their graven images are gone to the wild beasts and the cattle: ye take them packed up as a burden to the weary, exhausted, hungry, and at the same time helpless man; 2 who will not be able to save themselves from war, but they themselves are led away captive.

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: 4 I am he; and until ye 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 have ye compared me? see, consider, ye that go astray. 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. 7 They bear it upon the shoulder, and go; and if they put it upon its place, it remains, it cannot move: and whosoever shall cry to it, it cannot hear; it cannot save him from trouble.

8 Remember ye these things, and groan: repent, ye that have gone astray, return in your heart; 9 and remember the former things that were of old: for I am God, and there is none other beside 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: 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.

12 Hearken to me, ye senseless ones, 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.