¹Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth; their idols are upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: the things that ye carried about are made a load, a burden to the weary beast. ²They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but themselves are gone into captivity. ³Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, that have been borneby mefrom their birth, that have been carried from the womb; ⁴and even to old age I am he, and even to hoar hairs will I carry you; I have made, and I will bear; yea, I will carry, and will deliver. ⁵To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like? ⁶Such as lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, they hire a goldsmith, and he maketh it a god; they fall down, yea, they worship. ⁷They bear it upon the shoulder, they carry it, and set it in its place, and it standeth, from its place shall it not remove: yea, one may cry unto it, yet can it not answer, nor save him out of his trouble. ⁸Remember this, and show yourselves men; bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors. ⁹Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me; ¹⁰declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done; saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure; ¹¹calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country; yea, I have spoken, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed, I will also do it. ¹²Hearken unto me, ye stout-hearted, that are far from righteousness: ¹³I bring near my righteousness, it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry; and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory.