1 Bel het inmekaargesak, Nebo staan krom; hulle afgode is vir die diere en die vee; beelde wat julle rondgedra het, is opgelaai, 'n vrag vir die vermoeide diere.

2 Saam staan hulle krom, inmekaargesak; hulle kon die vrag nie red nie, maar het self in gevangenskap gegaan.

3 Luister na My, o huis van Jakob en die hele oorblyfsel van die huis van Israel, julle wat deur My gedra is van die moederskoot af, opgeneem is van die geboorte af;

4 en tot die ouderdom toe is k dieselfde, ja, tot die grysheid toe sal Ek julle dra; k het dit gedoen, en k sal julle opneem, en k sal dra en red.

5 By wie wil julle My vergelyk en My net so maak en My gelykstel, dat ons eenders kan wees?

6 Hulle wat goud uit die geldsak skud en silwer afweeg met die weegskaal, huur 'n goudsmid, en hy maak daar 'n god van; hulle kniel neer, ook buig hulle.

7 Hulle hef hom op die skouer; hulle dra hom en sit hom op sy plek neer. Daar staan hy! Hy wyk nie van sy plek nie; ook al roep iemand hom, hy antwoord nie; hy verlos hom nie uit sy benoudheid nie.

8 Dink hieraan en wees beslis; neem dit ter harte, o afvalliges!

9 Dink aan die dinge wat tevore was, van ouds af, dat Ek God is, en daar is geen ander nie; Ek is God, en daar is niemand soos Ek nie;

10 wat van die begin af verkondig die einde, en van die voortyd af wat nog nie gebeur het nie; wat sê: My raad sal bestaan, en al wat my behaag, sal Ek doen;

11 wat 'n roofvoël roep uit die Ooste, die man van my raad uit 'n ver land; soos Ek dit gespreek het, sal Ek dit ook laat kom; Ek het dit voorberei, Ek sal dit ook doen.

12 Luister na My, julle wat hard is van hart, julle wat ver is van die geregtigheid!

13 Ek bring my geregtigheid naby; dit is nie ver nie, en my heil sal nie vertoef nie; en Ek gee heil in Sion, aan Israel my heerlikheid.

1 Bel is bent down, Nebo is falling; their images are on the beasts and on the cattle: the things which you took about have become a weight to the tired beast.

2 They are bent down, they are falling together: they were not able to keep their images safe, but they themselves have been taken prisoner.

3 Give ear to me, O family of Jacob, and all the rest of the people of Israel, who have been supported by me from their birth, and have been my care from their earliest days:

4 Even when you are old I will be the same, and when you are grey-haired I will take care of you: I will still be responsible for what I made; yes, I will take you and keep you safe.

5 Who in your eyes is my equal? or what comparison will you make with me?

6 As for those who take gold out of a bag, and put silver in the scales, they give payment to a gold-worker, to make it into a god; they go down on their faces and give it worship.

7 They put him on their backs, and take him up, and put him in his fixed place, from which he may not be moved; if a man gives a cry for help to him, he is unable to give an answer, or get him out of his trouble.

8 Keep this in mind and be shamed; let it come back to your memory, you sinners.

9 Let the things which are past come to your memory: for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like me;

10 Making clear from the first what is to come, and from past times the things which have not so far come about; saying, My purpose is fixed, and I will do all my pleasure;

11 Sending for a bird of strong flight from the east, the man of my purpose from a far country; I have said it, and I will give effect to it; the thing designed by me will certainly be done.

12 Give ear to me, you feeble-hearted, who have no faith in my righteousness:

13 My righteousness is near, it is not far off; salvation will come quickly; and I will make Zion free, and give Israel my glory.