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¹ Bel bows down, Nebo stoops; Their idols were on the beasts and on the cattle. Your carriages were heavily loaded, A burden to the weary beast.
² They stoop, they bow down together; They could not deliver the burden, But have themselves gone into captivity.
³ "Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, And all the remnant of the house of Israel, Who have been upheld by Me from birth, Who have been carried from the womb:
⁴ Even to your old age, I am He, And even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; Even I will carry, and will deliver you.
⁵ "To whom will you liken Me, and make Me equal And compare Me, that we should be alike?
⁶ They lavish gold out of the bag, And weigh silver on the scales; They hire a goldsmith, and he makes it a god; They prostrate themselves, yes, they worship.
⁷ They bear it on the shoulder, they carry it And set it in its place, and it stands; From its place it shall not move. Though one cries out to it, yet it cannot answer Nor save him out of his trouble.
⁸ "Remember this, and show yourselves men; Recall to mind, O you 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,
¹⁰ Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, "My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,'
¹¹ Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man who executes My counsel, from a far country. Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it.
¹² "Listen to Me, you stubborn-hearted, Who are far from righteousness:
¹³ I bring My righteousness near, it shall not be far off; My salvation shall not linger. And I will place salvation in Zion, For Israel My glory.