Babylon’s Idols
כָּרַ֥ע בֵּל֙ קֹרֵ֣ס נְב֔וֹ הָיוּ֙ עֲצַבֵּיהֶ֔ם לַחַיָּ֖ה וְלַבְּהֵמָ֑ה נְשֻׂאֹתֵיכֶ֣ם עֲמוּס֔וֹת מַשָּׂ֖א לַעֲיֵפָֽה׃
Bel crouches; Nebo cowers. Their idols weigh down beasts and cattle. The images you carry are burdensome, a load to the weary animal.
קָרְס֤וּ כָֽרְעוּ֙ יַחְדָּ֔ו לֹ֥א יָכְל֖וּ מַלֵּ֣ט מַשָּׂ֑א וְנַפְשָׁ֖ם בַּשְּׁבִ֥י הָלָֽכָה׃ ס
The gods cower; they crouch together, unable to relieve the burden; but they themselves go into captivity.
שִׁמְע֤וּ אֵלַי֙ בֵּ֣ית יַעֲקֹ֔ב וְכָל־שְׁאֵרִ֖ית בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל הַֽעֲמֻסִים֙ מִנִּי־בֶ֔טֶן הַנְּשֻׂאִ֖ים מִנִּי־רָֽחַם׃
“Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been sustained from the womb, carried along since birth.
וְעַד־זִקְנָה֙ אֲנִ֣י ה֔וּא וְעַד־שֵיבָ֖ה אֲנִ֣י אֶסְבֹּ֑ל אֲנִ֤י עָשִׂ֙יתִי֙ וַאֲנִ֣י אֶשָּׂ֔א וַאֲנִ֥י אֶסְבֹּ֖ל וַאֲמַלֵּֽט׃ ס
Even to your old age, I will be the same, and I will bear you up when you turn gray. I have made you, and I will carry you; I will sustain you and deliver you.
לְמִ֥י תְדַמְי֖וּנִי וְתַשְׁו֑וּ וְתַמְשִׁל֖וּנִי וְנִדְמֶֽה׃
To whom will you liken Me or count Me equal? To whom will you compare Me, that we should be alike?
הַזָּלִ֤ים זָהָב֙ מִכִּ֔יס וְכֶ֖סֶף בַּקָּנֶ֣ה יִשְׁקֹ֑לוּ יִשְׂכְּר֤וּ צוֹרֵף֙ וְיַעֲשֵׂ֣הוּ אֵ֔ל יִסְגְּד֖וּ אַף־יִֽשְׁתַּחֲוּֽוּ׃
They pour out their bags of gold and weigh out silver on scales; they hire a goldsmith to fashion it into a god, so they can bow down and worship.
יִ֠שָּׂאֻהוּ עַל־כָּתֵ֨ף יִסְבְּלֻ֜הוּ וְיַנִּיחֻ֤הוּ תַחְתָּיו֙ וְיַֽעֲמֹ֔ד מִמְּקוֹמ֖וֹ לֹ֣א יָמִ֑ישׁ אַף־יִצְעַ֤ק אֵלָיו֙ וְלֹ֣א יַעֲנֶ֔ה מִצָּרָת֖וֹ לֹ֥א יוֹשִׁיעֶֽנּוּ׃ ס
They lift it to their shoulder and carry it along; they set it in its place, and there it stands, not budging from that spot. They cry out to it, but it does not answer; it saves no one from his troubles.
זִכְרוּ־זֹ֖את וְהִתְאֹשָׁ֑שׁוּ הָשִׁ֥יבוּ פוֹשְׁעִ֖ים עַל־לֵֽב׃
Remember this and be brave; take it to heart, you transgressors!
זִכְר֥וּ רִאשֹׁנ֖וֹת מֵעוֹלָ֑ם כִּ֣י אָנֹכִ֥י אֵל֙ וְאֵ֣ין ע֔וֹד אֱלֹהִ֖ים וְאֶ֥פֶס כָּמֽוֹנִי׃
Remember what happened long ago, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me.
מַגִּ֤יד מֵֽרֵאשִׁית֙ אַחֲרִ֔ית וּמִקֶּ֖דֶם אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־נַעֲשׂ֑וּ אֹמֵר֙ עֲצָתִ֣י תָק֔וּם וְכָל־חֶפְצִ֖י אֶעֱשֶֽׂה׃
I declare the end from the beginning, and from ancient times what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish.’
קֹרֵ֤א מִמִּזְרָח֙ עַ֔יִט מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מֶרְחָ֖ק אִ֣ישׁ עֲצָתִ֑י אַף־דִּבַּ֙רְתִּי֙ אַף־אֲבִיאֶ֔נָּה יָצַ֖רְתִּי אַף־אֶעֱשֶֽׂנָּה׃ ס
I summon a bird of prey from the east, a man for My purpose from a far-off land. Truly I have spoken, and truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, and I will surely do it.
שִׁמְע֥וּ אֵלַ֖י אַבִּ֣ירֵי לֵ֑ב הָרְחוֹקִ֖ים מִצְּדָקָֽה׃
Listen to Me, you stubborn people, far removed from righteousness:
קֵרַ֤בְתִּי צִדְקָתִי֙ לֹ֣א תִרְחָ֔ק וּתְשׁוּעָתִ֖י לֹ֣א תְאַחֵ֑ר וְנָתַתִּ֤י בְצִיּוֹן֙ תְּשׁוּעָ֔ה לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל תִּפְאַרְתִּֽי׃ ס
I am bringing My righteousness near; it is not far away, and My salvation will not be delayed. I will grant salvation to Zion and adorn Israel with My splendor.