9All who make graven images are vain; and the idols they produce are impotent and worthless; and they are their own witnesses, they neither see nor know; they who vouch for the efficacy (validity and effectiveness) of these objects of their own making - that neither see nor know anything - are much like them: useless! - to their own shame. 10Who but a fool would try to form a god, a melted and cast image, that cannot do anything? 11Behold, all who do that shall be ashamed; these craftsmen are mere deluded men. Though they form their own guild, and stand together, yet they shall fear, and be ashamed together. 12The ironworker uses his tongs, works in the heat of coals, and fashions an object with hammers, and using the strength of his arms: yea, he becomes tired, hungry, and thirsty. 13The woodworker stretches out his rule; he marks it out with a line; he shapes it with chisels and planes into the image and beauty of a man, that it may remain in a shrine. 14He cuts down a cedar, or perhaps a cypress or an oak, which he allowed to grow strong for himself among the trees of the forest; he plants an ash, and the rain nourishes it. 15Then shall it be available for a man to burn; for he will take and warm himself by it; yea, he kindles it, and bakes bread; yea, and then from what remains, he makes a god, and worships it; he makes it into a carved image, and bows before it. 16He burns part of it in the fire; with part of it he prepares his food; he roasts meat, and is satisfied; yea, he warms himself, and says, “Aha, I am warm, that fire feels good!”; 17And with the rest of it he makes a god, his carved image that he then falls down before and worships, and prays to it, and says, “Save me; for you are my god”. 18They have known and understood nothing; for their eyes are closed, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand the truth. 19And no one stops to think, nor is there knowledge nor understanding to say, “I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, I have also baked bread upon its coals; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it; and shall I make the rest of it into an abomination? Shall I bow down to a block of wood?” 20Such a person feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has misled him, that he cannot restore his soul by saying, “Is this this thing in my hand not a fraud?”

21Remember these things, O Jacob and Israel; for you are My servant; I have formed you; you are My servant; O Israel, I will not forget you. 22I have swept your sins away like a storm cloud; return to Me; for I have redeemed you. 23Sing for joy, O you heavens; for the LORD has done it; shout, O earth below; break forth into singing, you mountains, O forest, and every tree in it; for the LORD has redeemed Jacob, and glorified Himself in Israel.

24Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, He Who formed you from the womb: “I am the LORD, the Creator of all things; Who alone stretches out the heavens; Who spreads abroad the earth by Myself; 25Who frustrates the signs of the false prophets, and makes fools of diviners; Who overturns the counsel of supposedly wise men, and proves that counsel to be nonsense; 26Who confirms the word of His servants, and fulfills the prophecies of His messengers; Who says to Jerusalem, “You shall be inhabited”; and to the cities of Judah, “You shall be built”, and I will restore its ruined places; 27Who says to the watery deep, “Be dry, and I will dry up your rivers”; 28Who says of Cyrus, “He is My shepherd, and shall accomplish all that I desire”; even saying to Jerusalem, “You shall be built”; and to the temple, “Your foundations shall be laid”.

Isaiah 45