12. Blacksmiths shape iron into tools. They work them over the coals and shape them with hammers, working them with their strong arms. They get hungry, and their strength fails. If they don’t drink water, they will faint.
13. Carpenters measure blocks of wood with ⌊chalk⌋ lines. They mark them with pens. They carve them with chisels and mark them with compasses. They carve them into forms of people, beautiful people, so the idols can live in shrines.
14. They cut down cedars for themselves. Then they choose fir trees or oaks. They let them grow strong among the trees in the forest. Then they plant cedars, and the rain makes them grow.
15. These trees become ⌊fuel⌋ for people to burn. So they take some of them and warm themselves with them. They start fires and bake bread. They also make gods from these trees and worship them. They make them into carved statues and bow in front of them.
16. Half of the wood they burn in the fire. Over this half they roast meat that they can eat until they are full. They also warm themselves and say, “Ah! We are warm. We can see the fire!”
17. But the rest of the wood they make into gods, carved statues. They bow to them and worship them. They pray to them, saying, “Rescue us, because you are our gods.”
18. They don’t know or understand anything. Their eyes are plastered shut, so they can’t see. And their minds are closed, so they can’t understand.
19. No one stops to think. No one has enough knowledge or understanding to say, “I burned half of the wood in the fire. I also baked bread over its coals. I roasted meat and ate it. Now I am making the rest of the wood into a disgusting thing and bowing to a block of wood.”
20. They eat ashes because they are deceived. Their own misguided minds lead them astray. They can’t rescue themselves or ask themselves, “Isn’t what I hold in my right hand a false god?”
21. Remember these things, Jacob:You are my servant, Israel.I formed you; you are my servant.Israel, I will not forget you.
22. I made your rebellious acts disappear like a thick cloudand your sins like the morning mist.Come back to me, because I have reclaimed you.
23. Sing with joy, you heavens, because the Lord has done this.Rejoice, you deep places of the earth.Break into shouts of joy, you mountains,you forests and every tree in them.The Lord has reclaimed Jacob.He will display his glory in Israel.
24. The Lord reclaimed you.He formed you in the womb.This is what the Lord says:I, the Lord, made everything.I stretched out the heavens by myself.I spread out the earth all alone.
25. I cause the signs of false prophets to failand make fools of fortunetellers.I make wise men retreatand turn their knowledge into foolishness.
26. He confirms the word of his servantand fulfills the plan of his messengers.He says about Jerusalem, “It will be inhabited.”He says about the cities of Judah, “They will be rebuilt.”He says about their ruins, “I will restore them.”