Chapter 46
Babylon’s Idols
1
Bel crouches; Nebo… cowers. Their idols [weigh down] beasts and cattle. The images you carry are burdensome, a load to the weary [animal].
𐤁𐤋 𐤊𐤓𐤏 𐤍𐤁𐤅 𐤄𐤉𐤅 𐤒𐤓𐤎 𐤏𐤑𐤁𐤉𐤄𐤌 𐤋𐤇𐤉𐤄 𐤅𐤋𐤁𐤄𐤌𐤄 𐤍𐤔𐤀𐤕𐤉𐤊𐤌 𐤏𐤌𐤅𐤎𐤅𐤕 𐤌𐤔𐤀 𐤋𐤏𐤉𐤐𐤄
בֵּל֙ כָּרַ֥ע נְב֔וֹ הָיוּ֙ קֹרֵ֣ס עֲצַבֵּיהֶ֔ם לַחַיָּ֖ה וְלַבְּהֵמָ֑ה נְשֻׂאֹתֵיכֶ֣ם עֲמוּס֔וֹת מַשָּׂ֖א לַעֲיֵפָֽה׃ bêl kā·ra‘ nə·ḇōw hā·yū qō·rês ‘ă·ṣab·bê·hem la·ḥay·yāh wə·lab·bə·hê·māh nə·śu·’ō·ṯê·ḵem ‘ă·mū·sō·wṯ maś·śā la·‘ă·yê·p̄āh — WLC · 1
2
The gods cower; they crouch together, vvv unable to relieve the burden; but they themselves go into captivity.
𐤒𐤓𐤎𐤅 𐤊𐤓𐤏𐤅 𐤉𐤇𐤃𐤅 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤊𐤋𐤅 𐤌𐤋𐤈 𐤌𐤔𐤀 𐤅𐤍𐤐𐤔𐤌 𐤄𐤋𐤊𐤄𐤎 𐤁𐤔𐤁𐤉
קָרְס֤וּ כָֽרְעוּ֙ יַחְדָּ֔ו לֹ֥א יָכְל֖וּ מַלֵּ֣ט מַשָּׂ֑א וְנַפְשָׁ֖ם הָלָֽכָה׃ס בַּשְּׁבִ֥י qā·rə·sū ḵā·rə·‘ū yaḥ·dāw lō yā·ḵə·lū mal·lêṭ maś·śā wə·nap̄·šām hā·lā·ḵāh baš·šə·ḇî — WLC · 2
3
“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.
𐤔𐤌𐤏𐤅 𐤀𐤋𐤉 𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤉𐤏𐤒𐤁 𐤅𐤊𐤋 𐤔𐤀𐤓𐤉𐤕 𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤉𐤔𐤓𐤀𐤋 𐤄𐤏𐤌𐤎𐤉𐤌 𐤌𐤍𐤉 𐤁𐤈𐤍 𐤄𐤍𐤔𐤀𐤉𐤌 𐤌𐤍𐤉 𐤓𐤇𐤌
שִׁמְע֤וּ אֵלַי֙ בֵּ֣ית יַעֲקֹ֔ב וְכָל־ שְׁאֵרִ֖ית בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל הַֽעֲמֻסִים֙ מִנִּי־ בֶ֔טֶן הַנְּשֻׂאִ֖ים מִנִּי־ רָֽחַם׃ šim·‘ū ’ê·lay bêṯ ya·‘ă·qōḇ wə·ḵāl šə·’ê·rîṯ bêṯ yiś·rā·’êl ha·‘ă·mu·sîm min·nî- ḇe·ṭen han·nə·śu·’îm min·nî- rā·ḥam — WLC · 3
4
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.
𐤅𐤏𐤃 𐤆𐤒𐤍𐤄 𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤀𐤎𐤁𐤋 𐤅𐤏𐤃 𐤔𐤉𐤁𐤄 𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤏𐤔𐤉𐤕𐤉 𐤅𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤀𐤔𐤀 𐤅𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤀𐤎𐤁𐤋 𐤅𐤀𐤌𐤋𐤈𐤎
וְעַד־ זִקְנָה֙ אֲנִ֣י ה֔וּא אֲנִ֣י אֶסְבֹּ֑ל וְעַד־ שֵיבָ֖ה אֲנִ֤י עָשִׂ֙יתִי֙ וַאֲנִ֣י אֶשָּׂ֔א וַאֲנִ֥י אֶסְבֹּ֖ל וַאֲמַלֵּֽט׃ס wə·‘aḏ- ziq·nāh ’ă·nî hū ’ă·nî ’es·bōl wə·‘aḏ- šē·ḇå̄h ’ă·nî ‘ā·śî·ṯî wa·’ă·nî ’eś·śā wa·’ă·nî ’es·bōl wa·’ă·mal·lêṭ — WLC · 4
5
To whom will you liken Me or count Me equal? To whom will you compare Me, that we should be alike?
𐤋𐤌𐤉 𐤕𐤃𐤌𐤉𐤅𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤕𐤔𐤅𐤅 𐤅𐤕𐤌𐤔𐤋𐤅𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤍𐤃𐤌𐤄
לְמִ֥י תְדַמְי֖וּנִי וְתַשְׁו֑וּ וְתַמְשִׁל֖וּנִי וְנִדְמֶֽה׃ lə·mî ṯə·ḏam·yū·nî wə·ṯaš·wū wə·ṯam·ši·lū·nî wə·niḏ·meh — WLC · 5
6
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.
𐤄𐤆𐤋𐤉𐤌 𐤌𐤊𐤉𐤎 𐤆𐤄𐤁 𐤉𐤔𐤒𐤋𐤅 𐤅𐤊𐤎𐤐 𐤁𐤒𐤍𐤄 𐤉𐤔𐤊𐤓𐤅 𐤑𐤅𐤓𐤐 𐤅𐤉𐤏𐤔𐤄𐤅 𐤀𐤋 𐤉𐤎𐤂𐤃𐤅 𐤀𐤐 𐤉𐤔𐤕𐤇𐤅𐤅
הַזָּלִ֤ים מִכִּ֔יס זָהָב֙ יִשְׁקֹ֑לוּ וְכֶ֖סֶף בַּקָּנֶ֣ה יִשְׂכְּר֤וּ צוֹרֵף֙ וְיַעֲשֵׂ֣הוּ אֵ֔ל יִסְגְּד֖וּ אַף־ יִֽשְׁתַּחֲוּֽוּ׃ haz·zā·lîm mik·kîs zā·hāḇ yiš·qō·lū wə·ḵe·sep̄ baq·qā·neh yiś·kə·rū ṣō·w·rêp̄ wə·ya·‘ă·śê·hū ’êl yis·gə·ḏū ’ap̄- yiš·ta·ḥăw·wū — WLC · 6
7
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.
𐤉𐤔𐤀𐤄𐤅 𐤏𐤋 𐤊𐤕𐤐 𐤉𐤎𐤁𐤋𐤄𐤅 𐤅𐤉𐤍𐤉𐤇𐤄𐤅 𐤕𐤇𐤕𐤉𐤅 𐤅𐤉𐤏𐤌𐤃 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤌𐤉𐤔 𐤀𐤐 𐤌𐤌𐤒𐤅𐤌𐤅 𐤉𐤑𐤏𐤒 𐤀𐤋𐤉𐤅 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤏𐤍𐤄 𐤉𐤅𐤔𐤉𐤏𐤍𐤅𐤎 𐤋𐤀 𐤌𐤑𐤓𐤕𐤅
יִ֠שָּׂאֻהוּ עַל־ כָּתֵ֨ף יִסְבְּלֻ֜הוּ וְיַנִּיחֻ֤הוּ תַחְתָּיו֙ וְיַֽעֲמֹ֔ד לֹ֣א יָמִ֑ישׁ אַף־ מִמְּקוֹמ֖וֹ יִצְעַ֤ק אֵלָיו֙ וְלֹ֣א יַעֲנֶ֔ה יוֹשִׁיעֶֽנּוּ׃ס לֹ֥א מִצָּרָת֖וֹ yiś·śā·’u·hū ‘al- kā·ṯêp̄ yis·bə·lu·hū wə·yan·nî·ḥu·hū ṯaḥ·tāw wə·ya·‘ă·mōḏ lō yā·mîš ’ap̄- mim·mə·qō·w·mōw yiṣ·‘aq ’ê·lāw wə·lō ya·‘ă·neh yō·wō·šî·‘en·nū lō miṣ·ṣā·rā·ṯōw — WLC · 7
8
Remember this and be brave; take it to heart, you transgressors!
𐤆𐤊𐤓𐤅 𐤆𐤀𐤕 𐤅𐤄𐤕𐤀𐤔𐤔𐤅 𐤄𐤔𐤉𐤁𐤅 𐤏𐤋 𐤋𐤁 𐤐𐤅𐤔𐤏𐤉𐤌
זִכְרוּ־ זֹ֖את וְהִתְאֹשָׁ֑שׁוּ הָשִׁ֥יבוּ עַל־ לֵֽב׃ פוֹשְׁעִ֖ים ziḵ·rū- zōṯ wə·hiṯ·’ō·šā·šū hā·šî·ḇū ‘al- lêḇ p̄ō·wō·šə·‘îm — WLC · 8
9
Remember what happened long ago, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and [there is] none like Me.
𐤆𐤊𐤓𐤅 𐤓𐤀𐤔𐤍𐤅𐤕 𐤌𐤏𐤅𐤋𐤌 𐤊𐤉 𐤀𐤍𐤊𐤉 𐤀𐤋 𐤅𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤏𐤅𐤃 𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤀𐤐𐤎 𐤊𐤌𐤅𐤍𐤉
זִכְר֥וּ רִאשֹׁנ֖וֹת מֵעוֹלָ֑ם כִּ֣י אָנֹכִ֥י אֵל֙ וְאֵ֣ין ע֔וֹד אֱלֹהִ֖ים וְאֶ֥פֶס כָּמֽוֹנִי׃ ziḵ·rū ri·šō·nō·wṯ mê·‘ō·w·lām kî ’ā·nō·ḵî ’êl wə·’ên ‘ō·wḏ ’ĕ·lō·hîm wə·’e·p̄es kā·mō·w·nî — WLC · 9
10
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.’
𐤌𐤂𐤉𐤃 𐤀𐤇𐤓𐤉𐤕 𐤌𐤓𐤀𐤔𐤉𐤕 𐤅𐤌𐤒𐤃𐤌 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤋𐤀 𐤍𐤏𐤔𐤅 𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤏𐤑𐤕𐤉 𐤕𐤒𐤅𐤌 𐤅𐤊𐤋 𐤇𐤐𐤑𐤉 𐤀𐤏𐤔𐤄
מַגִּ֤יד אַחֲרִ֔ית מֵֽרֵאשִׁית֙ וּמִקֶּ֖דֶם אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־ נַעֲשׂ֑וּ אֹמֵר֙ עֲצָתִ֣י תָק֔וּם וְכָל־ חֶפְצִ֖י אֶעֱשֶֽׂה׃ mag·gîḏ ’a·ḥă·rîṯ mê·rê·šîṯ ū·miq·qe·ḏem ’ă·šer lō- na·‘ă·śū ’ō·mêr ‘ă·ṣā·ṯî ṯā·qūm wə·ḵāl ḥep̄·ṣî ’e·‘ĕ·śeh — WLC · 10
11
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.
𐤒𐤓𐤀 𐤏𐤉𐤈 𐤌𐤌𐤆𐤓𐤇 𐤀𐤉𐤔 𐤏𐤑𐤕𐤅 𐤌𐤓𐤇𐤒 𐤌𐤀𐤓𐤑 𐤀𐤐 𐤃𐤁𐤓𐤕𐤉 𐤀𐤐 𐤀𐤁𐤉𐤀𐤍𐤄 𐤉𐤑𐤓𐤕𐤉 𐤀𐤐 𐤀𐤏𐤔𐤍𐤄𐤎
קֹרֵ֤א עַ֔יִט מִמִּזְרָח֙ אִ֣ישׁ עֲצָתוֹ מֶרְחָ֖ק מֵאֶ֥רֶץ אַף־ דִּבַּ֙רְתִּי֙ אַף־ אֲבִיאֶ֔נָּה יָצַ֖רְתִּי אַף־ אֶעֱשֶֽׂנָּה׃ס qō·rê ‘a·yiṭ mim·miz·rāḥ ’îš ʿă·ṣå̄·ṯō mer·ḥāq mê·’e·reṣ ’ap̄- dib·bar·tî ’ap̄- ’ă·ḇî·’en·nāh yā·ṣar·tî ’ap̄- ’e·‘ĕ·śen·nāh — WLC · 11
12
Listen to Me, you stubborn people, far removed from righteousness:
𐤔𐤌𐤏𐤅 𐤀𐤋𐤉 𐤀𐤁𐤉𐤓𐤉 𐤋𐤁 𐤄𐤓𐤇𐤅𐤒𐤉𐤌 𐤌𐤑𐤃𐤒𐤄
שִׁמְע֥וּ אֵלַ֖י אַבִּ֣ירֵי לֵ֑ב הָרְחוֹקִ֖ים מִצְּדָקָֽה׃ šim·‘ū ’ê·lay ’ab·bî·rê lêḇ hā·rə·ḥō·w·qîm miṣ·ṣə·ḏā·qāh — WLC · 12
13
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.
𐤑𐤃𐤒𐤕𐤉 𐤒𐤓𐤁𐤕𐤉 𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤓𐤇𐤒 𐤅𐤕𐤔𐤅𐤏𐤕𐤉 𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤀𐤇𐤓 𐤅𐤍𐤕𐤕𐤉 𐤕𐤔𐤅𐤏𐤄 𐤁𐤑𐤉𐤅𐤍 𐤋𐤉𐤔𐤓𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤐𐤀𐤓𐤕𐤉𐤎
צִדְקָתִי֙ קֵרַ֤בְתִּי לֹ֣א תִרְחָ֔ק וּתְשׁוּעָתִ֖י לֹ֣א תְאַחֵ֑ר וְנָתַתִּ֤י תְּשׁוּעָ֔ה בְצִיּוֹן֙ לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל תִּפְאַרְתִּֽי׃ס ṣiḏ·qā·ṯî qê·raḇ·tî lō ṯir·ḥāq ū·ṯə·šū·‘ā·ṯî lō ṯə·’a·ḥêr wə·nā·ṯat·tî tə·šū·‘āh ḇə·ṣî·yō·wn lə·yiś·rā·’êl tip̄·’ar·tî — WLC · 13