1 HEAR the word which the LORD speaks to you, O house of Israel:

2 Thus says the LORD, Learn not the way of the Gentiles and be not afraid of the signs of heaven; for the Gentiles are dismayed at them.

3 For the gods of the Gentiles are nothing; they are cut from a tree in the forest, the work of the hands of a carpenter, things made with a plane.

4 They are decked with silver and with gold; men fasten them with hammers and nails, so that they may not fall apart.

5 They are set up straight as palm trees, but they do not speak; they must be carried, for they cannot walk. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither can they do good.

6 There is no one like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great, and thy name is great in might.

7 Who would not revere thee, O King of nations? For to thee belongs the kingdom; for among all the wise men of the nations and in all their kingdoms there is none like thee.

8 But altogether the vain doctrines of wooden image worship shall be utterly destroyed and consumed.

9 Fine silver is brought from Tarshish and gold from Ophir; they are the work of the carpenter and of the hands of the silversmith; blue and purple is their clothing; they are woven by cunning men.

10 But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King; at his anger the earth trembles, and the nations shall not be able to endure his indignation.

11 Thus shall you say to them: The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens.

12 The LORD has made the earth by his power; he has established the world by his wisdom, and has stretched out the heavens by his intelligence.

13 He causes the sound of roaring of waters that are in the heavens, and he causes the clouds to ascend from the ends of the earth; he makes lightnings for the rain, and brings forth the wind out of his treasure house.

14 Every man has acted foolishly because of lack of knowledge; all those who work in gold are ashamed because of the graven images which they made; for molten images are falsehood, and there is no breath in them.

15 They are vanity, and the work of vain folly; in the time when they are visited with punishment, they shall perish.

16 The portion of Jacob is not like them; for he who has created all things is their portion; and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance; The LORD of hosts is his name.

17 Gather up your disgrace from the land, O inhabitant who dwells in distress.

18 For thus says the LORD, Behold, I will perplex the inhabitants of this land at this very time, so that they may seek me and find me.

19 Woe to me for my hurt! my wound is grievous; but I said, Truly this is my grief and I must bear it.

20 My tabernacle is plundered and all its cords are cut off; my children have left me, and they are not; there is no one to pitch my tent again and to set up my curtains.

21 For the shepherds have misbehaved, and have not sought the LORD; and because they did not prosper, all of their flocks have been scattered.

22 Behold, the noise of the report is come, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah desolate and a den of jackals.

23 I know that the ways of the LORD are not like the ways of men; he does not walk as a man directing his steps.

24 O LORD, correct me justly, and not in thy anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.

25 Pour out thy wrath upon the nations who do not know thee and upon the families that call not on thy name; for they have devoured Jacob, yea, they have devoured him and consumed him and have made his habitation desolate.