Their ways are futile and foolish. They cut down a tree, and a craftsman carves an idol.

众民的风俗是虚空的；他们在树林中用斧子砍伐一棵树，匠人用手工造成偶像。

万民的习俗是虚空的；偶像不过是从树林中砍来的木头，是匠人用斧头做成的手工。

万民的习俗是虚空的；偶像不过是从树林中砍来的木头，是匠人用斧头做成的手工。

他们信奉的毫无价值，他们从林中砍一棵树，工匠用木头雕刻偶像，

因为万民所信奉的都是虚空，只是从林中砍下的树木，是匠人用凿刀制成的产品。

眾民的風俗是虛空的；他們在樹林中用斧子砍伐一棵樹，匠人用手工造成偶像。

萬民的習俗是虛空的；偶像不過是從樹林中砍來的木頭，是匠人用斧頭做成的手工。

萬民的習俗是虛空的；偶像不過是從樹林中砍來的木頭，是匠人用斧頭做成的手工。

他們信奉的毫無價值，他們從林中砍一棵樹，工匠用木頭雕刻偶像，

因為萬民所信奉的都是虛空，只是從林中砍下的樹木，是匠人用鑿刀製成的產品。

因為萬族之民的規例都是虛空：因為偶像不過是一棵樹、人從樹林中砍下來，匠人的手用斧子製成的作品。

列邦之例虛偽、有人由林伐木、匠人以斧製之、

億兆之禮儀虛偽、有入林叢、以斧伐木、以工治之、

蓋異邦人之禮儀虛偽、所敬者乃木、伐於林中、工師以斧製之、

For the practices of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel.

The practices of these nations are worthless. People cut a tree out of the forest. A skilled worker shapes the wood with a sharp tool.

for the customs of the peoples are vanity. A tree from the forest is cut down and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman.

for the customs of the peoples are worthless. Someone cuts down a tree from the forest; it is worked by the hands of a craftsman with a chisel.

For the customs of the peoples are futile; For it is wood cut from the forest, The work of the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool.

For the customs of the peoples are futile; For one cuts a tree from the forest, The work of the hands of the workman, with the ax.

For the customs of the peoples are vanity; for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the axe.

for the customs of the peoples are worthless. Someone cuts down a tree from the forest; it is worked by the hands of a craftsman with a chisel.

For the customs of the people[ are] vain: for[ one] cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.

For the religion of these people is worthless. They cut down a tree in the forest, and a craftsman makes it into an idol with his tools.

For the customs of the peoples are vanity; for one cuts a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the ax.

So obey my instructions, and do not defile yourselves by committing any of these detestable practices that were committed by the people who lived in the land before you. I am the Lord your God.”

People who worship idols are stupid and foolish. The things they worship are made of wood!

For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value.

Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused.

“ Gather together and come, you fugitives from surrounding nations. What fools they are who carry around their wooden idols and pray to gods that cannot save!

How foolish are those who manufacture idols. These prized objects are really worthless. The people who worship idols don’t know this, so they are all put to shame.Who but a fool would make his own god— an idol that cannot help him one bit?All who worship idols will be disgraced along with all these craftsmen— mere humans— who claim they can make a god. They may all stand together, but they will stand in terror and shame.The blacksmith stands at his forge to make a sharp tool, pounding and shaping it with all his might. His work makes him hungry and weak. It makes him thirsty and faint.Then the wood carver measures a block of wood and draws a pattern on it. He works with chisel and plane and carves it into a human figure. He gives it human beauty and puts it in a little shrine.He cuts down cedars; he selects the cypress and the oak; he plants the pine in the forest to be nourished by the rain.Then he uses part of the wood to make a fire. With it he warms himself and bakes his bread. Then— yes, it’s true— he takes the rest of it and makes himself a god to worship! He makes an idol and bows down in front of it!He burns part of the tree to roast his meat and to keep himself warm. He says,“ Ah, that fire feels good.”Then he takes what’s left and makes his god: a carved idol! He falls down in front of it, worshiping and praying to it.“ Rescue me!” he says.“ You are my god!”Such stupidity and ignorance! Their eyes are closed, and they cannot see. Their minds are shut, and they cannot think.The person who made the idol never stops to reflect,“ Why, it’s just a block of wood! I burned half of it for heat and used it to bake my bread and roast my meat. How can the rest of it be a god? Should I bow down to worship a piece of wood?”The poor, deluded fool feeds on ashes. He trusts something that can’t help him at all. Yet he cannot bring himself to ask,“ Is this idol that I’m holding in my hand a lie?”

“ What good is an idol carved by man, or a cast image that deceives you? How foolish to trust in your own creation— a god that can’t even talk!What sorrow awaits you who say to wooden idols,‘ Wake up and save us!’ To speechless stone images you say,‘ Rise up and teach us!’ Can an idol tell you what to do? They may be overlaid with gold and silver, but they are lifeless inside.

The people have appointed kings without my consent, and princes without my approval. By making idols for themselves from their silver and gold, they have brought about their own destruction.“ O Samaria, I reject this calf— this idol you have made. My fury burns against you. How long will you be incapable of innocence?This calf you worship, O Israel, was crafted by your own hands! It is not God! Therefore, it must be smashed to bits.

This is what the Lord says:“ What did your ancestors find wrong with me that led them to stray so far from me? They worshiped worthless idols, only to become worthless themselves.

Can he be compared to an idol formed in a mold, overlaid with gold, and decorated with silver chains?Or if people are too poor for that, they might at least choose wood that won’t decay and a skilled craftsman to carve an image that won’t fall down!Haven’t you heard? Don’t you understand? Are you deaf to the words of God— the words he gave before the world began? Are you so ignorant?God sits above the circle of the earth. The people below seem like grasshoppers to him! He spreads out the heavens like a curtain and makes his tent from them.He judges the great people of the world and brings them all to nothing.They hardly get started, barely taking root, when he blows on them and they wither. The wind carries them off like chaff.“ To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?” asks the Holy One.Look up into the heavens. Who created all the stars? He brings them out like an army, one after another, calling each by its name. Because of his great power and incomparable strength, not a single one is missing.O Jacob, how can you say the Lord does not see your troubles? O Israel, how can you say God ignores your rights?Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding.He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion.But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

“ When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.

So they prepared one of the bulls and placed it on the altar. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning until noontime, shouting,“ O Baal, answer us!” But there was no reply of any kind. Then they danced, hobbling around the altar they had made.About noontime Elijah began mocking them.“ You’ll have to shout louder,” he scoffed,“ for surely he is a god! Perhaps he is daydreaming, or is relieving himself. Or maybe he is away on a trip, or is asleep and needs to be wakened!”So they shouted louder, and following their normal custom, they cut themselves with knives and swords until the blood gushed out.