Babylon’s Idols

1  כָּרַ֥ע (Bows down), בֵּל֙ (Bel) קֹרֵ֣ס (is stooping low), נְב֔וֹ (Nebo)

הָיוּ֙ (have been) עֲצַבֵּיהֶ֔ם (their idols) לַחַיָּ֖ה (on the beasts), וְלַבְּהֵמָ֑ה (and on the cattle).

נְשֻׂאֹתֵיכֶ֣ם (These carried by you⁺) עֲמוּס֔וֹת (were heavy laden);

מַשָּׂ֖א (a burden) לַעֲיֵפָֽה׃ (to the weary).

2  קָרְס֤וּ (They stoop low), כָֽרְעוּ֙ (they bend down) יַחְדָּ֔ו (together);

לֹ֥א (not) יָכְל֖וּ (they could) מַלֵּ֣ט (deliver) מַשָּׂ֑א (the burden),

וְנַפְשָׁ֖ם (and their souls) בַּשְּׁבִ֥י (into captivity) הָלָֽכָה׃ס (have gone).

3  שִׁמְע֤וּ (Listen) אֵלַי֙ (to Me) בֵּ֣ית (O house) יַעֲקֹ֔ב (of Jacob),

וְכָל־ (and all) שְׁאֵרִ֖ית (the remnant) בֵּ֣ית (of the house) יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (of Israel),

הַֽעֲמֻסִים֙ (those having been upheld) מִנִּי־ (from) בֶ֔טֶן (birth),

הַנְּשֻׂאִ֖ים (having been carried) מִנִּי־ (from) רָֽחַם׃ (the womb);

4  וְעַד־ (even to) זִקְנָה֙ (your old age) אֲנִ֣י (I am) ה֔וּא (He);

וְעַד־ (and until) שֵיבָ֖ה (gray hair) אֲנִ֣י (I will) אֶסְבֹּ֑ל (will bear you up)

אֲנִ֤י (I) עָשִׂ֙יתִי֙ (have done it), וַאֲנִ֣י (and I) אֶשָּׂ֔א (will lift);

וַאֲנִ֥י (and I) אֶסְבֹּ֖ל (will carry), וַאֲמַלֵּֽט׃ס (and will deliver you).

5  לְמִ֥י (To whom) תְדַמְי֖וּנִי (will you⁺ liken Me) וְתַשְׁו֑וּ (and make Me equal),

וְתַמְשִׁל֖וּנִי (and compare Me) וְנִדְמֶֽה׃ (that we should be alike)?

6  הַזָּלִ֤ים (Those lavishing) זָהָב֙ (gold) מִכִּ֔יס (from the bag),

וְכֶ֖סֶף (and silver) בַּקָּנֶ֣ה (on the scales), יִשְׁקֹ֑לוּ (weighing)

יִשְׂכְּר֤וּ (they hire) צוֹרֵף֙ (a goldsmith); וְיַעֲשֵׂ֣הוּ (that he might make it) אֵ֔ל (a god);

יִסְגְּד֖וּ (they bow low), אַף־ (even), יִֽשְׁתַּחֲוּֽוּ׃ (bow down).

7  יִ֠שָּׂאֻהוּ (They bear it) עַל־ (on) כָּתֵ֨ף (a shoulder),

יִסְבְּלֻ֜הוּ (they carry it)

וְיַנִּיחֻ֤הוּ (and set it) תַחְתָּיו֙ (in its place), וְיַֽעֲמֹ֔ד (and it stands);

מִמְּקוֹמ֖וֹ (from its place) לֹ֣א (not) יָמִ֑ישׁ (will it move);

אַף־ (though), יִצְעַ֤ק (one may cry out) אֵלָיו֙ (to it) וְלֹ֣א (and not) יַעֲנֶ֔ה (will it answer),

מִצָּרָת֖וֹ (from his distress). לֹ֥א (Not) יוֹשִׁיעֶֽנּוּ׃ס (will it save him).

8  זִכְרוּ־ (Remember) זֹ֖את (this), וְהִתְאֹשָׁ֑שׁוּ (and be men);

הָשִׁ֥יבוּ (Recall) פוֹשְׁעִ֖ים (O transgressors). עַל־ (To) לֵֽב׃ (heart),

9  זִכְר֥וּ (Remember) רִאשֹׁנ֖וֹת (the former things) מֵעוֹלָ֑ם (of old);

כִּ֣י (for) אָנֹכִ֥י (I am) אֵל֙ (God), וְאֵ֣ין (and there is no) ע֔וֹד (other);

אֱלֹהִ֖ים (I am God), וְאֶ֥פֶס (and none) כָּמֽוֹנִי׃ (is like Me),

10  מַגִּ֤יד (declaring) מֵֽרֵאשִׁית֙ (from the beginning), אַחֲרִ֔ית (the end)

וּמִקֶּ֖דֶם (and from of old) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that which) לֹא־ (not) נַעֲשׂ֑וּ (has been done),

אֹמֵר֙ (saying), עֲצָתִ֣י (My counsel) תָק֔וּם (will stand),

וְכָל־ (and all) חֶפְצִ֖י (My delight); אֶעֱשֶֽׂה׃ (I will do).

11  קֹרֵ֤א (The One calling) מִמִּזְרָח֙ (from the east), עַ֔יִט (a bird of prey)

מֵאֶ֥רֶץ (from a country). מֶרְחָ֖ק (Far away) אִ֣ישׁ (the man) עֲצָתוֹ (of My counsel)

אַף־ (indeed), דִּבַּ֙רְתִּי֙ (I have spoken it)

אַף־ (and so) אֲבִיאֶ֔נָּה (I will bring it to pass);

יָצַ֖רְתִּי (I have fashioned it)

אַף־ (also) אֶעֱשֶֽׂנָּה׃ס (I will do it).

12  שִׁמְע֥וּ (Listen) אֵלַ֖י (to Me) אַבִּ֣ירֵי (O obstinate) לֵ֑ב (of heart),

הָרְחוֹקִ֖ים (far) מִצְּדָקָֽה׃ (from righteousness).

13  קֵרַ֤בְתִּי (I have brought near) צִדְקָתִי֙ (My righteousness);

לֹ֣א (not) תִרְחָ֔ק (is it far off), וּתְשׁוּעָתִ֖י (and My salvation) לֹ֣א (not) תְאַחֵ֑ר (will it be delayed).

וְנָתַתִּ֤י (And I have given) בְצִיּוֹן֙ (to Zion) תְּשׁוּעָ֔ה (salvation)

לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (to Israel) תִּפְאַרְתִּֽי׃ס (My splendor).