Isaiah

¹ Bel bows down, Nebo stoops low; their idols are borne by beasts of burden. The images that are carried about are burdensome, a burden for the weary.

² unable to rescue the burden, they themselves go off into captivity.

³ all you who remain of the house of Israel, you whom I have upheld since you were conceived, and have carried since your birth.

⁴ I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

⁵ To whom will you liken me that we may be compared?

⁶ and weigh out silver on the scales; they hire a goldsmith to make it into a god, and they bow down and worship it.

⁷ they set it up in its place, and there it stands. From that spot it cannot move. Though one cries out to it, it does not answer; it cannot save him from his troubles.

⁸ take it to heart, you rebels.

⁹ I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.

¹⁰ from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.

¹¹ from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do.

¹² you who are far from righteousness.

¹³ it is not far away; and my salvation will not be delayed. I will grant salvation to Zion, my splendor to Israel.