| New King James Version | NET Bible |
| 1Bel 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. | 1Bel kneels down, Nebo bends low. Their images weigh down animals and beasts. Your heavy images are burdensome to tired animals. |
| 2They stoop, they bow down together; They could not deliver the burden, But have themselves gone into captivity. | 2Together they bend low and kneel down; they are unable to rescue the images; they themselves head off 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: | 3"Listen to me, O family of Jacob, all you who are left from the family of Israel, you who have been carried from birth, you who have been supported from the time you left the womb. |
| 4Even 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. | 4Even when you are old, I will take care of you, even when you have gray hair, I will carry you. I made you and I will support you; I will carry you and rescue you. |
| 5“To whom will you liken Me, and make Me equal And compare Me, that we should be alike? | 5To whom can you compare and liken me? Tell me whom you think I resemble, so we can be compared! |
| 6They 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. | 6Those who empty out gold from a purse and weigh out silver on the scale hire a metalsmith, who makes it into a god. They then bow down and worship it. |
| 7They 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. | 7They put it on their shoulder and carry it; they put it in its place and it just stands there; it does not move from its place. Even when someone cries out to it, it does not reply; it does not deliver him from his distress. |
| 8“Remember this, and show yourselves men; Recall to mind, O you transgressors. | 8Remember this, so you can be brave! Think about it, you rebels! |
| 9Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, | 9Remember what I accomplished in antiquity! Truly I am God, I have no peer; I am God, and there is none like me, |
| 10Declaring 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,’ | 10who announces the end from the beginning and reveals beforehand what has not yet occurred, who says, 'My plan will be realized, I will accomplish what I desire,' |
| 11Calling 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. | 11who summons an eagle from the east, from a distant land, one who carries out my plan. Yes, I have decreed, yes, I will bring it to pass; I have formulated a plan, yes, I will carry it out. |
| 12“Listen to Me, you stubborn-hearted, Who are far from righteousness: | 12Listen to me, you stubborn people, you who distance yourself from doing what is right. |
| 13I 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. | 13I am bringing my deliverance near, it is not far away; I am bringing my salvation near, it does not wait. I will save Zion; I will adorn Israel with my splendor." |
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