¹ Hear you the word which the LORD speaks to you, O house of Israel ² So says the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. ³ For the customs of the people are vain: for one cuts a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. ⁴ They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. ⁵ They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good. ⁶ Since as there is none like to you, O LORD; you are great, and your name is great in might. ⁷ Who would not fear you, O King of nations? for to you does it appertain: since as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms , [there is] none like to you. ⁸ But they are altogether stupid and foolish: the stock is a teaching of vanities. ⁹ Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder: blue and purple is their clothing: they are all the work of cunning [men]. ¹⁰ But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth will tremble, and the nations will not be able to abide his indignation. ¹¹ So will you say to them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they will perish from the earth, and from under these heavens. ¹² He has made the earth by his power, he has established the world by his wisdom, and has stretched out the heavens by his discretion. ¹³ When he utters his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causes the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he makes lightnings with rain, and brings forward the wind out of his treasures. ¹⁴ Every man is stupid in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them. ¹⁵ They are vanity, and the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they will perish. ¹⁶ The portion of Jacob is not like them: for he is the former of all things and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: The LORD of hosts is his name. ¹⁷ Gather up your wares out of the land, O inhabitant of the fortress. ¹⁸ For so says the LORD, See, I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this once, and will distress them, that they may find [it so]. ¹⁹ Woe is me for my hurt! my wound is grievous: but I said, Truly this is a grief, and I must bear it. ²⁰ My tabernacle is spoiled, and all my cords are broken: my children are gone forward of me, and they are not: there is none to stretch forward my tent any more, and to set up my curtains. ²¹ For the pastors are become stupid, and have not sought the LORD: therefore they will not prosper, and all their flocks will be scattered. ²² See, the noise of the bruit is come, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah desolate, and a den of dragons. ²³ O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walks to direct his steps. ²⁴ O LORD, correct me, but with judgment; not in your anger, in case you bring me to nothing. ²⁵ Pour out your fury on the heathen that know you not, and on the families that call not on your name: for they have eaten up Jacob, and devoured him, and consumed him, and have made his habitation desolate.