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.

众民的风俗是虚空的；他们在树林中用斧子砍伐一棵树，匠人用手工造成偶像。

万民的习俗是虚空的；偶像不过是从树林中砍来的木头，是匠人用斧头做成的手工。

万民的习俗是虚空的；偶像不过是从树林中砍来的木头，是匠人用斧头做成的手工。

他们信奉的毫无价值，他们从林中砍一棵树，工匠用木头雕刻偶像，

因为万民所信奉的都是虚空，只是从林中砍下的树木，是匠人用凿刀制成的产品。

眾民的風俗是虛空的；他們在樹林中用斧子砍伐一棵樹，匠人用手工造成偶像。

萬民的習俗是虛空的；偶像不過是從樹林中砍來的木頭，是匠人用斧頭做成的手工。

萬民的習俗是虛空的；偶像不過是從樹林中砍來的木頭，是匠人用斧頭做成的手工。

他們信奉的毫無價值，他們從林中砍一棵樹，工匠用木頭雕刻偶像，

因為萬民所信奉的都是虛空，只是從林中砍下的樹木，是匠人用鑿刀製成的產品。

因為萬族之民的規例都是虛空：因為偶像不過是一棵樹、人從樹林中砍下來，匠人的手用斧子製成的作品。

列邦之例虛偽、有人由林伐木、匠人以斧製之、

億兆之禮儀虛偽、有入林叢、以斧伐木、以工治之、

蓋異邦人之禮儀虛偽、所敬者乃木、伐於林中、工師以斧製之、

For the practices of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel.

The practices of these nations are worthless. People cut a tree out of the forest. A skilled worker shapes the wood with a sharp tool.

for the customs of the peoples are vanity. A tree from the forest is cut down and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman.

Their ways are futile and foolish. They cut down a tree, and a craftsman carves an idol.

for the customs of the peoples are worthless. Someone cuts down a tree from the forest; it is worked by the hands of a craftsman with a chisel.

For the customs of the peoples are futile; For it is wood cut from the forest, The work of the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool.

For the customs of the peoples are futile; For one cuts a tree from the forest, The work of the hands of the workman, with the ax.

For the customs of the peoples are vanity; for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the axe.

for the customs of the peoples are worthless. Someone cuts down a tree from the forest; it is worked by the hands of a craftsman with a chisel.

For the customs of the people[ are] vain: for[ one] cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.

For the religion of these people is worthless. They cut down a tree in the forest, and a craftsman makes it into an idol with his tools.

Therefore you shall keep my requirements, that you do not practice any of these abominable customs which were practiced before you, and that you do not defile yourselves with them. I am Yahweh your God.’”

But they are together brutish and foolish, instructed by idols! It is just wood.

knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers,

Because knowing God, they didn’t glorify him as God, and didn’t give thanks, but became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless heart was darkened.

“ Assemble yourselves and come. Draw near together, you who have escaped from the nations. Those have no knowledge who carry the wood of their engraved image, and pray to a god that can’t save.

Everyone who makes a carved image is vain. The things that they delight in will not profit. Their own witnesses don’t see, nor know, that they may be disappointed.Who has fashioned a god, or molds an image that is profitable for nothing?Behold, all his fellows will be disappointed; and the workmen are mere men. Let them all be gathered together. Let them stand up. They will fear. They will be put to shame together.The blacksmith takes an ax, works in the coals, fashions it with hammers, and works it with his strong arm. He is hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks no water, and is faint.The carpenter stretches out a line. He marks it out with a pencil. He shapes it with planes. He marks it out with compasses, and shapes it like the figure of a man, with the beauty of a man, to reside in a house.He cuts down cedars for himself, and takes the cypress and the oak, and strengthens for himself one among the trees of the forest. He plants a cypress tree, and the rain nourishes it.Then it will be for a man to burn; and he takes some of it, and warms himself. Yes, he burns it, and bakes bread. Yes, he makes a god, and worships it; he makes it a carved image, and falls down to it.He burns part of it in the fire. With part of it, he eats meat. He roasts a roast, and is satisfied. Yes, he warms himself, and says,“ Aha! I am warm. I have seen the fire.”The rest of it he makes into a god, even his engraved image. He bows down to it and worships, and prays to it, and says,“ Deliver me; for you are my god!”They don’t know, neither do they consider: for he has shut their eyes, that they can’t see; and their hearts, that they can’t understand.No one thinks, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say,“ I have burned part of it in the fire. Yes, I have also baked bread on its coals. I have roasted meat and eaten it. Shall I make the rest of it into an abomination? Shall I bow down to a tree trunk?”He feeds on ashes. A deceived heart has turned him aside; and he can’t deliver his soul, nor say,“ Isn’t there a lie in my right hand?”

“ What value does the engraved image have, that its maker has engraved it; the molten image, even the teacher of lies, that he who fashions its form trusts in it, to make mute idols?Woe to him who says to the wood,‘ Awake!’ or to the mute stone,‘ Arise!’ Shall this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all within it.

They have set up kings, but not by me. They have made princes, and I didn’t approve. Of their silver and their gold they have made themselves idols, that they may be cut off.Let Samaria throw out his calf idol! My anger burns against them! How long will it be until they are capable of purity?For this is even from Israel! The workman made it, and it is no God; indeed, the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.

Yahweh says,“ What unrighteousness have your fathers found in me, that they have gone far from me, and have walked after worthless vanity, and have become worthless?

A workman has cast an image, and the goldsmith overlays it with gold, and casts silver chains for it.He who is too impoverished for such an offering chooses a tree that will not rot. He seeks a skillful workman to set up a carved image for him that will not be moved.Haven’t you known? Haven’t you heard? Haven’t you been told from the beginning? Haven’t you understood from the foundations of the earth?It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in,who brings princes to nothing, who makes the judges of the earth meaningless.They are planted scarcely. They are sown scarcely. Their stock has scarcely taken root in the ground. He merely blows on them, and they wither, and the whirlwind takes them away as stubble.“ To whom then will you liken me? Who is my equal?” says the Holy One.Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these, who brings out their army by number. He calls them all by name. by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power, not one is lacking.Why do you say, Jacob, and speak, Israel,“ My way is hidden from Yahweh, and the justice due me is disregarded by my God?”Haven’t you known? Haven’t you heard? The everlasting God, Yahweh, the Creator of the ends of the earth, doesn’t faint. He isn’t weary. His understanding is unsearchable.He gives power to the weak. He increases the strength of him who has no might.Even the youths faint and get weary, and the young men utterly fall;but those who wait for Yahweh will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run, and not be weary. They will walk, and not faint.

In praying, don’t use vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their much speaking.

They took the bull which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying,“ Baal, hear us!” But there was no voice, and nobody answered. They leaped about the altar which was made.At noon, Elijah mocked them, and said,“ Cry aloud; for he is a god. Either he is deep in thought, or he has gone somewhere, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he sleeps and must be awakened.”They cried aloud, and cut themselves in their way with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them.