Read the Bible

¹ "And now, hear, O Jacob, My servant, || And Israel, whom I have fixed on—² Thus said YHWH, your Maker, and your Former, || From the womb He helps you: Do not fear, My servant Jacob, || And Yeshurun, whom I have fixed on.³ For I pour waters on a thirsty one, || And floods on a dry land, || I pour My Spirit on your seed, || And My blessing on your offspring.⁴ And they have sprung up as among grass, || As willows by conduits of water.⁵ This [one] says, For I [am] YHWH's, || And this calls [himself] by the name of Jacob, || And this [one] writes [with] his hand, For YHWH, || And surnames himself by the name of Israel."⁶ Thus said YHWH, King of Israel, || And his Redeemer, YHWH of Hosts: "I [am] the first, and I [am] the last, || And besides Me there is no God.⁷ And who [is] as I, call and declare it, || And arrange it for Me, || Since My placing the people of antiquity, || And things that are coming, || And those that come, they declare to them.⁸ Do not fear, nor be afraid, || Have I not caused you to hear from that time, and declared? And you [are] My witnesses, || Is there a God besides Me? Indeed, there is none, || I have not known another Rock."

⁹ Framers of a carved image, all of them [are] emptiness, || And their desirable things do not profit, || And they [are] their own witnesses, || They do not see, nor know, that they may be ashamed.¹⁰ Who has formed a god, || And poured out a molten image—not profitable?¹¹ Behold, all his companions are ashamed, || As for artisans—they [are] of men, || All of them gather together, they stand up, || They fear, they are ashamed together.¹² He has worked iron [with] an axe, || And has worked with coals, || And forms it with hammers, || And works it by his powerful arm, || Indeed, he is hungry, and there is no power, || He does not drink water, and he is wearied.¹³ He has worked [with] wood, || He has stretched out a rule, || He marks it out with a line, || He makes it with carving tools, || And he marks it out with a compass, || And makes it according to the form of a man, || According to the beauty of a man, || To remain in the house.¹⁴ Cutting down cedars for himself, || He also takes a cypress, and an oak, || And he strengthens [it] for himself || Among the trees of a forest, || He has planted an ash, and the shower nourishes [it].¹⁵ And it has been for man to burn, || And he takes of them, and becomes warm, || Indeed, he kindles [it], and has baked bread, || Indeed, he makes a god, and bows himself, || He has made it a carved image, || And he falls down to it.¹⁶ Half of it he has burned in the fire, || By [this] half of it he eats flesh, || He roasts a roasting and is satisfied, || Indeed, he is warm and says: "Aha, I have become warm, I have enjoyed the light."¹⁷ And he has made its remnant for a god—For his carved image, || He falls down to it, and worships, || And prays to it, and he says, "Deliver me, for you [are] my god."¹⁸ They have not known, nor do they understand, || For He has coated their eyes from seeing, || Their heart from acting wisely.¹⁹ And none turn [it] back to his heart, || Nor has knowledge nor understanding to say, "I have burned half of it in the fire, || Indeed, I have also baked bread over its coals, || I roast flesh and I eat, || And I make its remnant for an abomination, || I fall down to the stock of a tree."²⁰ Feeding on ashes, the heart is deceived, || It has turned him aside, || And he does not deliver his soul, nor says: "Is there not a lie in my right hand?"

²¹ "Remember these, O Jacob, and Israel, || For you [are] My servant, || I formed you, you [are] a servant to Me, || O Israel, you do not forget Me.²² I have blotted out, as [by] a thick cloud, || Your transgressions, || And as [by] a cloud, your sins, || Return to Me, for I have redeemed you."²³ Sing, O heavens, for YHWH has worked, || Shout, O lower parts of earth, || Break forth, O mountains, with singing, || Forest, and every tree in it, || For YHWH has redeemed Jacob, || And He beautifies Himself in Israel.²⁴ Thus said YHWH, your Redeemer, || And your Framer from the womb: "I [am] YHWH, doing all things, || Stretching out the heavens by Myself, || Spreading out the earth—who [is] with Me?²⁵ Making void the tokens of devisers, || And makes diviners mad, || Turning the wise backward, || And makes their knowledge foolish.²⁶ Confirming the word of His servant, || He perfects the counsel of His messengers, || Who is saying of Jerusalem, || She is inhabited, || And of cities of Judah, || They will be built, and her ruins I raise up,²⁷ Who is saying to the deep, || Be dry, and your rivers I cause to dry up,²⁸ Who is saying of Cyrus, My shepherd, || And he perfects all My delight, || So as to say of Jerusalem, You are built, || And of the temple, You are founded."