The Lord Is the Only God
1 The Lord says,
“Listen now, Israel, my servant,
my chosen people, the descendants of Jacob.
2 I am the Lord who created you;
from the time you were born, I have helped you.
Do not be afraid; you are my servant,
my chosen people whom I love.
3 “I will give water to the thirsty land
and make streams flow on the dry ground.
I will pour out my spirit on your children
and my blessing on your descendants.
4 They will thrive like well-watered grass,
like willows by streams of running water.
5 “One by one, people will say, ‘I am the Lord's.’
They will come to join the people of Israel.
They each will mark the name of the Lord on their arms
and call themselves one of God's people.”
6 The Lord, who rules and protects Israel,
the Lord Almighty, has this to say:
“I am the first, the last, the only God;
there is no other god but me.
7 Could anyone else have done what I did?
Who could have predicted all that would happen
from the very beginning to the end of time?
8 Do not be afraid, my people!
You know that from ancient times until now
I have predicted all that would happen,
and you are my witnesses.
Is there any other god?
Is there some powerful god I never heard of?”
Idolatry Is Ridiculed
9 All those who make idols are worthless, and the gods they prize so highly are useless. Those who worship these gods are blind and ignorant—and they will be disgraced. 10 It does no good to make a metal image to worship as a god! 11 Everyone who worships it will be humiliated. The people who make idols are human beings and nothing more. Let them come and stand trial—they will be terrified and will suffer disgrace.
12 The metalworker takes a piece of metal and works with it over a fire. His strong arm swings a hammer to pound the metal into shape. As he works, he gets hungry, thirsty, and tired.
13 The carpenter measures the wood. He outlines a figure with chalk, carves it out with his tools, and makes it in the form of a man, a handsome human figure, to be placed in his house. 14 He might cut down cedars to use, or choose oak or cypress wood from the forest. Or he might plant a laurel tree and wait for the rain to make it grow. 15 A person uses part of a tree for fuel and part of it for making an idol. With one part he builds a fire to warm himself and bake bread; with the other part he makes a god and worships it. 16 With some of the wood he makes a fire; he roasts meat, eats it, and is satisfied. He warms himself and says, “How nice and warm! What a beautiful fire!” 17 The rest of the wood he makes into an idol, and then he bows down and worships it. He prays to it and says, “You are my god—save me!”
18 Such people are too stupid to know what they are doing. They close their eyes and their minds to the truth. 19 The maker of idols hasn't the wit or the sense to say, “Some of the wood I burned up. I baked some bread on the coals, and I roasted meat and ate it. And the rest of the wood I made into an idol. Here I am bowing down to a block of wood!”
20 It makes as much sense as eating ashes. His foolish ideas have so misled him that he is beyond help. He won't admit to himself that the idol he holds in his hand is not a god at all.
The Lord, the Creator and Savior
21 The Lord says,
“Israel, remember this;
remember that you are my servant.
I created you to be my servant,
and I will never forget you.
22 I have swept your sins away like a cloud.
Come back to me; I am the one who saves you.”
23 Shout for joy, you heavens!
Shout, deep places of the earth!
Shout for joy, mountains, and every tree of the forest!
The Lord has shown his greatness
by saving his people Israel.
24 “I am the Lord, your savior;
I am the one who created you.
I am the Lord, the Creator of all things.
I alone stretched out the heavens;
when I made the earth, no one helped me.
25 I make fools of fortunetellers
and frustrate the predictions of astrologers.
The words of the wise I refute
and show that their wisdom is foolishness.
26 But when my servant makes a prediction,
when I send a messenger to reveal my plans,
I make those plans and predictions come true.
I tell Jerusalem that people will live there again,
and the cities of Judah that they will be rebuilt.
Those cities will rise from the ruins.
27 With a word of command I dry up the ocean.
28 I say to Cyrus, ‘You are the one who will rule for me;
you will do what I want you to do:
you will order that Jerusalem be rebuilt
and that the foundations of the Temple be laid.’”
Dieva svētība Israēlam
1 Tagad klausies Jēkab, mans kalps,
un Israēl, mans izredzētais,
2 tā saka Kungs, tavs Radītājs,
kas tevi no mātes klēpja veidojis,
viņš tev palīdzējis:
nebīsties, mans kalps Jēkab,
Ješurūn, mans izredzētais!
3 Kā es izleju ūdeni pār sausu zemi
un straumes pār kalšņu,
tāpat es izliešu savu Garu pār taviem pēcnācējiem
un savu svētību pār tiem, kas celsies no tevis,
4 tie sadīgs kā zāle,
kā vītoli pie ūdens straumēm,
5 viens sacīs: es Kungam!
otrs sauksies: Jēkaba vārdā!
cits ar savu roku rakstīs: Kungam! –
un nēsās Israēla vārdu.
6 Tā saka Kungs, Israēla Ķēniņš,
Izpircējs, Pulku Kungs:
es esmu pirmais, un es esmu pēdējais,
nav cita Dieva bez manis!
7 Kurš ir kā es? – lai runā,
lai saka un izklāsta –
kopš es iedibināju mūžīgo tautu
līdz pat tam, kas vēl nāks, –
lai stāsta! –
8 Nebīsties un nebaiļojies –
vai jau izsenis es neesmu tev to sacījis un sludinājis,
un jūs esat mani liecinieki –,
vai ir vēl kāds cits Dievs bez manis!?
Nav citas klints, es nezinu tādu!”
Bezvērtīgo elku tēlu taisītāji
9 Visi, kas darina tēlus, ir niekkalbji,
viņu dārgumi tiem neko nedod,
viņu liecinieki neko nav redzējuši,
un tie nezina, ka paliks kaunā!
10 Kas darinās dievus un lies tēlus,
kuri nedod nekādu labumu, –
11 tie paši un viņu biedri tiks kaunā,
un amatnieki tik cilvēki vien,
lai tie visi sapulcējas un nostājas –
visi nobīsies un paliks kaunā!
12 Kalējs ar sitamo uz oglēm darina,
ar āmuru veido to, ar savu stipro roku sastiprina;
bet, kad izsalcis, tad nav spēka,
ja ūdeni nepadzeras, tad pagurst!
13 Kokgriezējs nostiepj auklu, ar irbuli izzīmē,
ar grebli izgrebj, ar cirkuli apvelk
un taisa to pēc cilvēka veidola,
pēc cilvēka krāšņuma – lai mīt mājā!
14 Viņš cērt sev ciedrus,
ņem cipresi vai ozolu,
kas mežā starp kokiem uzaudzis,
iestāda egli, un lietus to audzē,
15 tas ļaudīm ir kurināmais,
to ņem un sildās
vai dedzina un cep uz tā maizi,
arīdzan uztaisa par dievu un zemojas tam,
darina tēlu un krīt zemē tā priekšā!
16 Pusi sadedzina ugunī,
lai paēstos gaļu,
cep liesumu un ēd līdz sātam,
ņem siltumam un saka:
heijā! Man silti, es redzu, kā kuras!
17 Bet atlikumu uztaisa par dievu un elku,
krīt zemē tā priekšā un zemojas tam,
pielūdz un saka:
glāb mani, tu esi mans dievs!
18 Viņi nezina un nejēdz,
acis tiem aizdarītas, ka neredz,
un sirdis – ka nesaprot!
19 Nevienam tas nenāk ne prātā,
neviens neatzīst, neapjēdz un nesaka:
pusi es sadedzināju ugunī,
cepdams uz oglēm maizi,
cepu gaļu un ēdu,
bet to, kas palika pāri,
uztaisīju par pretekli
un zemojos koka kluča priekšā!
20 Kas pārtiek no pīšļiem,
tas savu sirdi paļauj maldiem,
tas nevar pats sevi glābt,
tas neteiks: vai ne meli pie manas labās rokas?
Israēls nav aizmirsts
21 Atceries to, Jēkab
un Israēl, jo tu mans kalps,
es tevi radīju, tu mans kalps,
Israēl, es tevi neaizmirsīšu!
22 Kā mākoni es aiztrencu tavus noziegumus,
kā dūmaku tavus grēkus –
atgriezies pie manis, es tevi esmu izpircis!
23 Dziediet debesis, jo Kungs rīkojas,
līksmojiet, zemes dzīles,
lai izlaužas gaviles ik kalnam
un visiem kokiem mežā,
jo Kungs izpircis Jēkabu
un viņš tiks daudzināts Israēlā!
24 Tā saka Kungs, tavs Izpircējs,
kas tevi veidojis kopš mātes klēpja:
“Es, Kungs, esmu radījis visu,
viens pats izstiepis debesis
un izpletis zemi –
kas bija kopā ar mani?! –
25 Kas liek pievilties krāpnieku zīmēm,
kas pareģu darbus sagandē,
kas gudriem spēj stāties pretī
un viņu zināšanu piemuļķo?!
26 Kas piepilda savam kalpam solīto,
kas savu vēstnešu sacīto apstiprina,
kas saka Jeruzālemei: tā būs apdzīvota! –
un Jūdas pilsētām: jūs atkal uzcels,
jūsu drupas es atkal uzsliešu!
27 Kas saka dzīlei: kalsti!
Tavas upes es nosusināšu!
28 Kas saka par Kīru: viņš ir mans gans,
viņš pildīs manu gribu, –
un sacīs Jeruzālemei: atkal tu tiksi uzcelta! –
un templim: tev atkal liks pamatus!”
