CHAPTER 44
1 And now, Jacob, my servant, hear thou, and Israel, whom I chose.
2 The Lord making and forgiving thee, thine helper from the womb, saith these things, My servant, Jacob, do not thou dread, and thou most rightful [or most right], whom I chose.
3 For I shall shed [or pour] out waters on the thirsty, and floods on the dry land; I shall shed [or pour] out my spirit on thy seed, and my blessing on thy generation.
4 And they shall burgeon among herbs, as sallows beside running waters.
5 This man shall say, I am of the Lord, and he shall call in the name of Jacob; and this man shall write with his hand to the Lord, and shall be likened in the name of Israel.
6 The Lord, King of Israel, and again-buyer thereof, the Lord of hosts saith these things, I am the first, and I am the last, and without me is no God.
7 Who is like me? call he, and tell, and declare order to me, since I made eld people [or I ordained the old people]; tell he to them things to coming [or to come], and that shall be.
8 Do not ye dread, neither be ye troubled; from that time I made thee for to hear, and I told; ye be my witnesses. Whether a God is without me [or Whether is God without me], and a former, whom I knew not?
9 All the formers of an idol be nothing, and the most loved things of them shall not profit; they be witnesses of them, that they see not, neither understand, that they be shamed.
10 Who formed a god, and melted out an image, not profitable to anything?
11 Lo! all the partners thereof shall be shamed; for the smiths be of men. When all shall come, they shall stand, and shall dread, and shall be shamed together.
12 A smith wrought with a file; he formed it in coals, and in hammers, and he wrought with the arm of his strength. He shall be hungry, and he shall fail; he shall not drink water, and he shall be faint.
13 A carpenter stretched forth a rule, he formed it with an adze or an awl, either a joiner’s hook; he made it in the corner places, and he turned it in compass; and he made the image of a man, as a fair man, dwelling in the house.
14 He cutted down cedars, he took an hawthorn, and an oak, that stood among the trees of the forest; he planted a pine apple tree [or the pine tree], which he nourished with rain,
15 and it was made into fire to men. He took of those [or them], and was warmed, and he burnt, and baked loaves; but of the residue he wrought a god, and worshipped it, and he made a graven image, and he was bowed before that.
16 He burnt the half thereof with fire, and of the half thereof he seethed fleshes, and ate; he seethed pottage, and was filled; and he was warmed, and he said, Well! I am warmed; I saw [the] fire.
17 Forsooth the residue thereof he made a god, and a graven image to himself; he is bowed before that, and worshippeth that, and beseecheth, and saith, Deliver thou me, for thou art my god.
18 They knew not, neither under-stood, for they have forgotten, that their eyes see not, and that they understand not with their heart.
19 They bethink not in their soul, neither they know, neither they feel, that they say, I burnt the half thereof in fire, and I baked loaves on the coals thereof, and I seethed fleshes, and ate; and of the residue thereof shall I make an idol? shall I fall down before the stock of a tree?
20 A part thereof is ashes; an unwise heart shall worship it, and he shall not deliver his soul, neither he shall say, A strong leasing is in my right hand.
21 Thou, Jacob, and Israel, have mind of these things, for thou art my servant; I formed thee, Israel, thou art my servant; thou shalt not forget me.
22 I did away thy wickednesses as a cloud, and thy sins as a mist; turn thou again to me, for I again-bought thee.
23 Ye heavens, praise, for the Lord hath done mercy; the last parts of [the] earth, sing ye heartily song; hills, sound ye praising; the forest, and each tree thereof, praise God; for the Lord again-bought Jacob, and Israel shall have glory.
24 The Lord, thine again-buyer, and thy former from the womb, saith these things, I am the Lord, making all things, and I alone stretch forth heavens, and stablish the earth, and none is with me;
25 and I make void the signs of false diviners, and I turn into madness diviners that divine by sacrifices offered to fiends; and I turn wise men back-ward, and I make their science fond [or folly].
26 And the Lord raiseth the word of his servant, and [ful] filleth the counsel of his messengers; and I say to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be builded, and I shall raise the deserts thereof;
27 and I say to the depth, Be thou desolate, and I shall make dry thy floods;
28 and I say to Cyrus, Thou art my shepherd, and thou shalt fill all my will; and I say to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be builded; and to the temple, Thou shalt be founded.