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 been broken. Nebo has been crushed. Their idols have been placed upon beasts and cattle, your grievous heavy burdens, even unto exhaustion.

2 They stoop and they bow down together. They could not deliver the burden, but they have gone into captivity.

They have been melted down, or have been smashed together. They were not able to save the one who carried them, and their life will go 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.

Listen to me, house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who are carried in my bosom, who were born from my 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.

Even to your old age, I am the same. And even with your grey hairs, I will carry you. I have made you, and I will sustain you. I will carry you, and I will save you.

5 “To whom will you compare me, and consider my equal, and compare me, as if we were the same?

To whom would you liken me, or equate me, or compare me, or consider me to be similar?

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.

You take gold from a bag, and you weigh silver on a scale, so as to hire a goldsmith to make a god. And they fall prostrate and adore.

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 on their shoulders, supporting him, and they set him in his place. And he will stand still and will not move from his place. But even when they will cry out to him, he will not hear. He will not save them from tribulation.

8 “Remember this, and show yourselves men. Bring it to mind again, you transgressors.

Remember this, and be confounded. Return, you transgressors, to the 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.

Remember the past ages. For I am God, and there is no other god. There is no one 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.

From the beginning, I announce the last things, and from the start, the things that have not yet been done, saying: My plan will stand firm, and my entire will shall be done.

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.

I call a bird from the east, and from a far away land, the man of my will. And I have spoken it, and I will carry it out. I have created, and I will act.

12 Listen to me, you stubborn-hearted, who are far from righteousness!

Hear me, you who are hard of heart, who are far from justice!

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 my justice near. It will not be far away, and my salvation will not be delayed. I will grant salvation in Zion, and my glory in Israel.