For the religion of these people is worthless. They cut down a tree in the forest, and a craftsman makes it into an idol with his tools.

众民的风俗是虚空的；他们在树林中用斧子砍伐一棵树，匠人用手工造成偶像。

万民的习俗是虚空的；偶像不过是从树林中砍来的木头，是匠人用斧头做成的手工。

万民的习俗是虚空的；偶像不过是从树林中砍来的木头，是匠人用斧头做成的手工。

他们信奉的毫无价值，他们从林中砍一棵树，工匠用木头雕刻偶像，

因为万民所信奉的都是虚空，只是从林中砍下的树木，是匠人用凿刀制成的产品。

眾民的風俗是虛空的；他們在樹林中用斧子砍伐一棵樹，匠人用手工造成偶像。

萬民的習俗是虛空的；偶像不過是從樹林中砍來的木頭，是匠人用斧頭做成的手工。

萬民的習俗是虛空的；偶像不過是從樹林中砍來的木頭，是匠人用斧頭做成的手工。

他們信奉的毫無價值，他們從林中砍一棵樹，工匠用木頭雕刻偶像，

因為萬民所信奉的都是虛空，只是從林中砍下的樹木，是匠人用鑿刀製成的產品。

因為萬族之民的規例都是虛空：因為偶像不過是一棵樹、人從樹林中砍下來，匠人的手用斧子製成的作品。

列邦之例虛偽、有人由林伐木、匠人以斧製之、

億兆之禮儀虛偽、有入林叢、以斧伐木、以工治之、

蓋異邦人之禮儀虛偽、所敬者乃木、伐於林中、工師以斧製之、

For the practices of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel.

The practices of these nations are worthless. People cut a tree out of the forest. A skilled worker shapes the wood with a sharp tool.

for the customs of the peoples are vanity. A tree from the forest is cut down and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman.

Their ways are futile and foolish. They cut down a tree, and a craftsman carves an idol.

for the customs of the peoples are worthless. Someone cuts down a tree from the forest; it is worked by the hands of a craftsman with a chisel.

For the customs of the peoples are futile; For it is wood cut from the forest, The work of the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool.

For the customs of the peoples are futile; For one cuts a tree from the forest, The work of the hands of the workman, with the ax.

For the customs of the peoples are vanity; for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the axe.

for the customs of the peoples are worthless. Someone cuts down a tree from the forest; it is worked by the hands of a craftsman with a chisel.

For the customs of the people[ are] vain: for[ one] cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.

For the customs of the peoples are vanity; for one cuts a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the ax.

You must obey my charge to not practice any of the abominable statutes that have been done before you, so that you do not defile yourselves by them. I am the LORD your God.’”

The people of those nations are both stupid and foolish. Instruction from a wooden idol is worthless!

You know that from your empty way of life inherited from your ancestors you were ransomed– not by perishable things like silver or gold,

For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but they became futile in their thoughts and their senseless hearts were darkened.

Gather together and come! Approach together, you refugees from the nations! Those who carry wooden idols know nothing, those who pray to a god that cannot deliver.

All who form idols are nothing; the things in which they delight are worthless. Their witnesses cannot see; they recognize nothing, so they are put to shame.Who forms a god and casts an idol that will prove worthless?Look, all his associates will be put to shame; the craftsmen are mere humans. Let them all assemble and take their stand! They will panic and be put to shame.A blacksmith works with his tool and forges metal over the coals. He forms it with hammers; he makes it with his strong arm. He gets hungry and loses his energy; he drinks no water and gets tired.A carpenter takes measurements; he marks out an outline of its form; he scrapes it with chisels, and marks it with a compass. He patterns it after the human form, like a well-built human being, and puts it in a shrine.He cuts down cedars and acquires a cypress or an oak. He gets trees from the forest; he plants a cedar and the rain makes it grow.A man uses it to make a fire; he takes some of it and warms himself. Yes, he kindles a fire and bakes bread. Then he makes a god and worships it; he makes an idol and bows down to it.Half of it he burns in the fire– over that half he cooks meat; he roasts a meal and fills himself. Yes, he warms himself and says,‘ Ah! I am warm as I look at the fire.’With the rest of it he makes a god, his idol; he bows down to it and worships it. He prays to it, saying,‘ Rescue me, for you are my god!’They do not comprehend or understand, for their eyes are blind and cannot see; their minds do not discern.No one thinks to himself, nor do they comprehend or understand and say to themselves:‘ I burned half of it in the fire– yes, I baked bread over the coals; I roasted meat and ate it. With the rest of it should I make a disgusting idol? Should I bow down to dry wood?’He feeds on ashes; his deceived mind misleads him. He cannot rescue himself, nor does he say,‘ Is this not a false god I hold in my right hand?’

What good is an idol? Why would a craftsman make it? What good is a metal image that gives misleading oracles? Why would its creator place his trust in it and make such mute, worthless things?The one who says to wood,‘ Wake up!’ is as good as dead– he who says to speechless stone,‘ Awake!’ Can it give reliable guidance? It is overlaid with gold and silver; it has no life’s breath inside it.

They enthroned kings without my consent! They appointed princes without my approval! They made idols out of their silver and gold, but they will be destroyed!O Samaria, he has rejected your calf idol! My anger burns against them! They will not survive much longer without being punished, even though they are Israelites!That idol was made by a workman– it is not God! The calf idol of Samaria will be broken to bits.

This is what the Lord says:“ What fault could your ancestors have possibly found in me that they strayed so far from me? They paid allegiance to worthless idols, and so became worthless to me.

A craftsman casts an idol; a metalsmith overlays it with gold and forges silver chains for it.To make a contribution one selects wood that will not rot; he then seeks a skilled craftsman to make an idol that will not fall over.Do you not know? Do you not hear? Has it not been told to you since the very beginning? Have you not understood from the time the earth’s foundations were made?He is the one who sits on the earth’s horizon; its inhabitants are like grasshoppers before him. He is the one who stretches out the sky like a thin curtain, and spreads it out like a pitched tent.He is the one who reduces rulers to nothing; he makes the earth’s leaders insignificant.Indeed, they are barely planted; yes, they are barely sown; yes, they barely take root in the earth, and then he blows on them, causing them to dry up, and the wind carries them away like straw.“ To whom can you compare me? Whom do I resemble?” says the Holy One.Look up at the sky! Who created all these heavenly lights? He is the one who leads out their ranks; he calls them all by name. Because of his absolute power and awesome strength, not one of them is missing.Why do you say, Jacob, Why do you say, Israel,“ The LORD is not aware of what is happening to me, My God is not concerned with my vindication”?Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is an eternal God, the creator of the whole earth. He does not get tired or weary; there is no limit to his wisdom.He gives strength to those who are tired; to the ones who lack power, he gives renewed energy.Even youths get tired and weary; even strong young men clumsily stumble.But those who wait for the LORD’s help find renewed strength; they rise up as if they had eagles’ wings, they run without growing weary, they walk without getting tired.

When you pray, do not babble repetitiously like the Gentiles, because they think that by their many words they will be heard.

So they took a bull, as he had suggested, and prepared it. They invoked the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying,“ Baal, answer us.” But there was no sound and no answer. They jumped around on the altar they had made.At noon Elijah mocked them,“ Yell louder! After all, he is a god; he may be deep in thought, or perhaps he stepped out for a moment or has taken a trip. Perhaps he is sleeping and needs to be awakened.”So they yelled louder and, in accordance with their prescribed ritual, mutilated themselves with swords and spears until their bodies were covered with blood.