1 Hear the word which Jehovah speaks to you, house of Israel! 2 Jehovah says, “Don’t learn the way of the nations, and don’t be dismayed at the signs of the sky; for the nations are dismayed at them. 3 For the customs of the peoples are vanity; for one cuts a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the ax. 4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it not move. 5 They are like a palm tree, of turned work, and don’t speak: they must be carried, because they can’t go. Don’t be afraid of them; for they can’t do evil, neither is it in them to do good.”

6 There is no one like you, Jehovah; you are great, and your name is great in might. 7 Who should not fear you, King of the nations? For it belongs to you; because among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their royal estate, there is no one like you. 8 But they are together brutish and foolish: the instruction of idols! It is but a tree. 9 There is silver beaten into plates, which is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the artificer and of the hands of the goldsmith; blue and purple for their clothing; they are all the work of skillful men.

10 But Jehovah is the true God; he is the living God, and an everlasting King: at his wrath the earth trembles, and the nations are not able to withstand his indignation. 11 You shall say this to them: “The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, these shall perish from the earth, and from under the heavens.” 12 He has made the earth by his power, he has established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding has he stretched out the heavens: 13 when he utters his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; he makes lightnings for the rain, and brings the wind out of his treasuries.

14 Every man has become brutish and without knowledge; every goldsmith is disappointed by his engraved image; for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them. 15 They are vanity, a work of delusion: in the time of their visitation they shall perish. 16 The portion of Jacob is not like these; for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance: Jehovah of Armies is his name. 17 Gather up your wares out of the land, you who live under siege. 18 For Jehovah says, “Behold, I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this time, and will distress them, that they may feel it.”

19 Woe is me because of my hurt! My wound is grievous: but I said, “Truly this is my grief, and I must bear it.” 20 My tent is destroyed, and all my cords are broken: my children have gone away from me, and they are no more. There is no one to spread my tent any more, and to set up my curtains. 21 For the shepherds are become brutish, and have not inquired of Jehovah: therefore they have not prospered, and all their flocks are scattered. 22 The voice of news, behold, it comes, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah a desolation, a dwelling place of jackals.

23 Jehovah, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man who walks to direct his steps. 24 Jehovah, correct me, but in measure: not in your anger, lest you bring me to nothing. 25 Pour out your wrath on the nations that don’t know you, and on the families that don’t call on your name: for they have devoured Jacob, yes, they have devoured him and consumed him, and have laid waste his habitation.