Isaiah 44:12-20

12 The acraftsman of iron shapes a cutting tool and does his work over the coals,
Lit and fashions
fashioning it with hammers and working it with his strong arm. He also gets hungry and
Lit there is no strength
his strength fails; he drinks no water and becomes weary.
13 dThe craftsman of wood extends a measuring line; he outlines it with a marker. He works it with carving knives and outlines it with a compass, and makes it like the form of a man, like the beauty of emankind, so that it may sit in a fhouse. 14He will cut cedars for himself, and he takes a holm-oak or another oak and lets it grow strong for himself among the trees of the forest. He plants a laurel tree, and the rain makes it grow. 15Then it becomes something for a person to burn, so he takes one of them and gets warm; he also makes a fire and bakes bread. He also gmakes a god and worships it; he makes it a carved image and hbows down before it. 16Half of it he burns in the fire; over this half he eats meat, he roasts a roast, and is satisfied. He also warms himself and says, “Aha! I am warm, I have seen the fire.” 17Yet the rest of it he imakes into a god, his carved image. He bows down before it and worships; he also jprays to it and says, “Save me, for you are my god.”

18 They do not kknow, nor do they understand, for He has lsmeared over their eyes so that they cannot see, and their hearts so that they cannot comprehend. 19No one
Lit returns to his heart
remembers, nor is there nknowledge or understanding to say, “I have burned half of it in the fire and also have baked bread over its coals. I roast meat and eat it. Then
Or shall I make?
I make the rest of it into an pabomination,
Or shall I bow...?
I bow down before a block of wood!”
20He
Or is a companion of ashes
sfeeds on ashes; a tdeceived heart has misled him. And he cannot save
Lit his soul
himself, nor say, “ vIs there not a lie in my right hand?”
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