Isaiah 46
Wycliffe Bible
46 Bel is broken, Nebo is all-broken; their simulacra like to wild beasts and work beasts be broken; your burdens with heavy charge till to weariness were rotten, (Bel is broken, Nebo is all-broken; their idols that were worshipped/that were carried in your processions, now be loaded upon work beasts and cattle; now be heavy burdens upon your weary beasts,)
2 and be all-broken together; those might not save the bearer, and the soul of them shall go into captivity. (and be altogether broken; they could not save their bearers-about, and now they themselves shall go into captivity.)
3 The house of Jacob, and all the residue of the house of Israel, hear ye me, which be borne of my womb, which be borne of my womb. (The house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, listen to me, ye who be carried by me from the womb, yea, who be carried by me from the womb, or from thy birth.)
4 Till to eld I myself, and till to hoar hairs, I shall bear; I made, and I shall bear, and I shall save. (Until your old age, yea, until your hoar hairs, I myself shall carry you; for I made you, and I shall carry you, and I shall save you.)
5 To whom have ye likened me, and made even (and made me even to), and have comparisoned me, and have made (me) like?
6 Which bear together gold from the bag (Ye who take out all the gold from thy bag), and weigh (out) silver with a balance, and hire a goldsmith to make a god, and (then) they (all) fall down, and worship (it);
7 they bearing bear (him) in shoulders, and setting in his place (they carry him upon their shoulders, and put him in his place); and he shall stand, and shall not be moved from his place; but also when they cry to him, he shall not hear, and he shall not save them from (any trials or) tribulation.
8 Have ye mind of this, and be ye ashamed; ye trespassers, go again to the heart. (Remember this, and be ye ashamed; ye trespassers, bring this again to mind/remember this.)
9 Bethink ye on the former world, for I am God, no God is over me, neither is like me. (Remember the former times, for I am God, and there is no god over me, nor is there anyone who is even like me.)
10 And I tell from the beginning the last thing, and from the beginning those things that be not made yet; and I say, My counsel shall stand, and all my will shall be done. (And I told out from the beginning what the last things would be, and from the beginning those things that were not yet even made; and I said, My purpose, or my plans, shall stand, and all my will shall be done.)
11 And I call a bird from the east, and the man of my will from a far land; and I spake, and I shall bring that thing (to pass); I have made (all) of nought (I have made everything out of nothing), and I shall make that thing (too).
12 Ye of hard heart, hear me, that be far from rightfulness. (Ye with a hard heart, who be far away from righteousness/who think that victory, or triumph, be far off.)
13 I made nigh mine rightfulness, it shall not be drawn afar, and mine health shall not tarry; I shall give health in Zion, and my glory in Israel. (I have brought my righteousness near/I have brought my victory close, it is not far off, and my deliverance shall not be delayed; I shall give deliverance to Zion, and my glory to Israel.)
Isaiah 46
English Standard Version
The Idols of Babylon and the One True God
46 (A)Bel bows down; Nebo stoops;
their idols are on beasts and livestock;
these things you carry are borne
as burdens on weary beasts.
2 They stoop; they bow down together;
they cannot save the burden,
but (B)themselves go into captivity.
3 “Listen to me, O house of Jacob,
all the remnant of the house of Israel,
(C)who have been borne by me from before your birth,
carried from the womb;
4 (D)even to your old age I am he,
and to gray hairs I will carry you.
I have made, and I will bear;
I will carry and will save.
5 (E)“To whom will you liken me and make me equal,
and compare me, that we may be alike?
6 (F)Those who lavish gold from the purse,
and weigh out silver in the scales,
hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god;
(G)then they fall down and worship!
7 (H)They lift it to their shoulders, they carry it,
they set it in its place, and it stands there;
(I)it cannot move from its place.
If one cries to it, it does not answer
or save him from his trouble.
8 “Remember this and stand firm,
recall it to mind, (J)you transgressors,
9 remember the former things of old;
for I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me,
10 (K)declaring the end from the beginning
and from ancient times things not yet done,
saying, (L)‘My counsel shall stand,
and I will accomplish all my purpose,’
11 (M)calling a bird of prey from the east,
the man of my counsel from a far country.
(N)I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass;
I have purposed, and I will do it.
2001 by Terence P. Noble
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
