41. When someone cannot speak, they take him to the temple and ask Bel to give him the power of speech, as if Bel could understand anything.
42. But even when the people realize that their gods cannot help, they are stupid enough to go on worshipping them.
43. Not only that, but women wrap cords round themselves and sit beside the road burning incense and offering themselves as prostitutes. When one of them is taken off for sex, she returns to ridicule the woman next to her who was not beautiful enough to be chosen.
44. Everything about these idols is false. How can anyone think that they are gods or call them gods?