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[1] Hear ye the word of the Lord that he speaketh unto you, O house of Israel.
[2] Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not afraid for the signs of heaven, though the heathen be afraid of such.
[3] For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest (which is the work of the hands of the carpenter) with the ax,
[4] And another decketh it with silver, and with gold: they fasten it with nails, and hammers, that it fall not.
[5] The idols stand up as the palm tree, but speak not: they are born because they cannot go fear them not, for they cannot do evil, neither can they do good.
[6] There is none like unto thee, O Lord: thou art great, and thy name is great in power.
[7] Who would not fear thee, O king of nations? For to thee appertaineth the dominion: for among all the wise men of the Gentiles, and in all their kingdoms there is none like thee.
[8] But, altogether they dote, and are foolish: for the stock is a doctrine of vanity.
[9] Silver plates are brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz , for the work of the workman, and the hands of the founder: the blue silk, and the purple is their clothing: all these things are made by cunning men.
[10] But the Lord is the God of truth: he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his anger the earth shall tremble, and the nations cannot abide his wrath.
[11] (Thus shall you say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens)
[12] He hath made the earth by his power, and established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heaven by his discretion.
[13] He giveth by his voice the multitude of waters in the heaven, and he causeth the clouds to ascend from the ends of the earth: he turneth lightnings to rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.
[14] Every man is a beast by his own knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his melting is but falsehood, and there is no breath therein.
[15] They are vanity, and the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.
[16] The portion of Jacob is not like them: for he is the maker of all things, and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: the Lord of hosts is his name.
[17] Gather up thy wares out of the land, O thou that dwellest in the strong place.
[18] For thus saith the Lord, Behold, at this time I will throw as with a sling the inhabitants of the land, and will trouble them, and they shall find it so.
[19] Woe is me for my destruction , and my grievous plague: but I thought, Yet it is my sorrow, and I will bear it.
[20] My tabernacle is destroyed, and all my cords are broken: my children are gone from me, and are not: there is none to spread out my tent anymore, and to set up my curtains.
[21] For the pastors are become beasts, and have not sought the Lord: therefore have they none understanding: and all the flocks of their pastures are scattered.
[22] Behold, the noise of the brute is come, and a great commotion out of the north country to make the cities of Judah desolate, and a den of dragons.
[23] O Lord, I know, that the way of man is not in himself, nether is it in man to walk and to direct his steps.
[24] O Lord, correct me, but with judgment, not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.
[25] Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen, that know thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy name: for they have eaten up Jacob and devoured him and consumed him, and have made his habitation desolate.
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