Idolatry and True Worship
1 People of Israel, listen to the message that the Lord has for you. 2 He says,
“Do not follow the ways of other nations;
do not be disturbed by unusual sights in the sky,
even though other nations are terrified.
3 The religion of these people is worthless.
A tree is cut down in the forest;
it is carved by the tools of the woodworker
4 and decorated with silver and gold.
It is fastened down with nails
to keep it from falling over.
5 Such idols are like scarecrows in a field of melons;
they cannot speak;
they have to be carried
because they cannot walk.
Do not be afraid of them:
they can cause you no harm,
and they can do you no good.”
6 Lord, there is no one like you;
you are mighty,
and your name is great and powerful.
7 Who would not honor you, the king of all nations?
You deserve to be honored.
There is no one like you
among all the wise men of the nations
or among any of their kings.
8 All of them are stupid and foolish.
What can they learn from wooden idols?
9 Their idols are covered with silver from Spain
and with gold from Uphaz,
all the work of artists;
they are dressed in violet and purple cloth
woven by skilled weavers.
10 But you, Lord, are the true God,
you are the living God
and the eternal king.
When you are angry, the world trembles;
the nations cannot endure your anger.
( 11 You people must tell them that the gods who did not make the earth and the sky will be destroyed. They will no longer exist anywhere on earth.)
A Hymn of Praise to God
12 The Lord made the earth by his power;
by his wisdom he created the world
and stretched out the heavens.
13 At his command the waters above the sky roar;
he brings clouds from the ends of the earth.
He makes lightning flash in the rain
and sends the wind from his storeroom.
14 At the sight of this, people feel stupid and senseless;
those who make idols are disillusioned,
because the gods they make are false and lifeless.
15 They are worthless and should be despised;
they will be destroyed when the Lord comes to deal with them.
16 The God of Jacob is not like them;
he is the one who made everything,
and he has chosen Israel to be his very own people.
The Lord Almighty is his name.
The Coming Exile
17 People of Jerusalem, you are under siege! Gather up your belongings. 18 The Lord is going to throw you out of this land; he is going to crush you until not one of you is left. The Lord has spoken.
19 The people of Jerusalem cried out,
“How badly we are hurt!
Our wounds will not heal.
And we thought this was something we could endure!
20 Our tents are ruined;
the ropes that held them have broken.
Our children have all gone away;
there is no one left to put up our tents again;
there is no one to hang their curtains.”
21 I answered, “Our leaders are stupid;
they do not ask the Lord for guidance.
This is why they have failed,
and our people have been scattered.
22 Listen! News has come!
There is a great commotion in a nation to the north;
its army will turn the cities of Judah into a desert,
a place where jackals live.”
23 Lord, I know that none of us are in charge of our own destiny;
none of us have control over our own life.
24 Correct your people, Lord,
but do not be too hard on us
or punish us when you are angry;
that would be the end of us.
25 Turn your anger on the nations that do not worship you
and on the people who reject you.
They have killed your people;
they have destroyed us completely
and left our country in ruins.
Elkdievības tukšums
1 Israēla nams! Klausies vārdus, ko saka Kungs! 2 Tā saka Kungs:
“Tautu ceļus jūs nestaigājiet
un no debesu zīmēm nebīstieties,
kā tautas bīstas no tām.
3 Jo tautu dievi ir nieki –
kā nocirsts meža koks,
ko ar cirvi apdarinājis kokgriezējs, –
4 ar sudrabu un zeltu izdaiļoti,
ar naglām un āmuru sasisti kopā,
lai negāžas.
5 Tie kā biedēkļi izdreijāti,
tie nerunā – ceļami, stumjami,
jo soļot tie nevar,
nebīstieties no tiem,
ļaunu tie darīt nevar
un labu arīdzan ne.”
6 Kungs, nav tāda kā tu!
Tu esi liels,
un tavs vārds ir liels
tavā varenībā!
7 Kas gan tevis nebīstas, tautu ķēniņ!
Tas pienākas tev,
jo nevienai no gudrajām tautām
nevienā valstī
nav tāda kā tu!
8 Bet vienādiņ visi ir dumji un muļķi –
baālu mācība ir no koka!
9 Kalts sudrabs no Taršīšas vests
un zelts no Ūfāzas –
amatnieku un zeltkaļu darbs,
purpurzilas un purpura viņu drānas,
tie visi ir gudro darbs.
10 Bet Kungs ir patiesības Dievs,
viņš ir dzīvs Dievs un mūžīgs Ķēniņš,
no viņa dusmības dreb zeme,
un tautas nevar turēt viņa bargumu!
11 To saki viņiem: dievi, kas debesis un zemi nav taisījuši, lai pazūd no zemes un no šīm debesīm!
12 Viņš taisīja zemi
ar savu spēku
un nostiprināja cietzemi
ar savu prātu un gudrību,
viņš izpleta debesis!
13 Kad viņš ceļ balsi –
krāc debesu ūdeņi!
Viņš ceļ garaiņus no zemes galiem,
zibeņo lietū,
un no savām krātuvēm atnes vēju!
14 Dumjš ir cilvēks – bez zināšanas,
apkaunots zeltkalis ar saviem elku tēliem,
jo meli ir viņa lējumi
un tajos nav gara!
15 Tie ir tukšība,
smiekla darbs,
kad tos piemeklēs,
tad tie ies bojā!
16 Ne tāda ir Jēkaba daļa,
jo visu veidoja viņš!
Un Israēls ir viņa mantojuma cilts!
Viņa vārds ir – Pulku Kungs!
Tauta tiks padzīta no savas zemes
17 Savāc savu nastu no zemes,
tu, ielenktā!
18 Jo tā saka Kungs:
“Redzi, šoreiz es aizmēzīšu visus,
kas mīt uz zemes,
es tos turēšu aplenktus,
lai tie zina!”
19 Vai, kāds man posts!
Mana brūce gurdina mani,
bet es teicu: patiesi!
Tā mana sērga,
tā man jācieš!
20 Mana telts nojaukta,
un visas manas telts virves sarautas,
mani bērni aizgājuši no manis,
un to nav!
Neviens vairs nepletīs manu telti,
nenostieps manus telts aizkarus!
21 Gani ir dumji,
Kungu tie nemeklē,
tādēļ tiem nesokas
un to ganāmpulki ir izklīduši.
22 Redzi, no ziemeļu zemes
ceļas balsu duna un liela trīcēšana,
nu Jūdas pilsētas padarīs
par izpostījumu un šakāļu midzeni!
23 Kungs, es zinu,
ka ne cilvēka varā ir viņa ceļš,
un tas, kas iet, pats neliek soļus.
24 Kungs, pamāci mani ar tiesu,
bet ne ar dusmām,
nepadari mani par nieku!
25 Savu niknumu izlej pār tautām,
kas nepazīst tevi,
pār dzimtām,
kas nepiesauc tavu vārdu, –
jo Jēkabu tās ir aprijušas,
viņu tās izskaudušas
un viņa ganības izdeldējušas!
