| New Living Translation | NET Bible |
| 1Bel and Nebo, the gods of Babylon, bow as they are lowered to the ground. They are being hauled away on ox carts. The poor beasts stagger under the weight. | 1Bel kneels down, Nebo bends low. Their images weigh down animals and beasts. Your heavy images are burdensome to tired animals. |
| 2Both the idols and their owners are bowed down. The gods cannot protect the people, and the people cannot protect the gods. They go off into captivity together. | 2Together they bend low and kneel down; they are unable to rescue the images; they themselves head off into captivity. |
| 3“Listen to me, descendants of Jacob, all you who remain in Israel. I have cared for you since you were born. Yes, I carried you before you were born. | 3"Listen to me, O family of Jacob, all you who are left from the family of Israel, you who have been carried from birth, you who have been supported from the time you left the womb. |
| 4I will be your God throughout your lifetime— until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you. | 4Even when you are old, I will take care of you, even when you have gray hair, I will carry you. I made you and I will support you; I will carry you and rescue you. |
| 5“To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal? | 5To whom can you compare and liken me? Tell me whom you think I resemble, so we can be compared! |
| 6Some people pour out their silver and gold and hire a craftsman to make a god from it. Then they bow down and worship it! | 6Those who empty out gold from a purse and weigh out silver on the scale hire a metalsmith, who makes it into a god. They then bow down and worship it. |
| 7They carry it around on their shoulders, and when they set it down, it stays there. It can’t even move! And when someone prays to it, there is no answer. It can’t rescue anyone from trouble. | 7They put it on their shoulder and carry it; they put it in its place and it just stands there; it does not move from its place. Even when someone cries out to it, it does not reply; it does not deliver him from his distress. |
| 8“Do not forget this! Keep it in mind! Remember this, you guilty ones. | 8Remember this, so you can be brave! Think about it, you rebels! |
| 9Remember the things I have done in the past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me. | 9Remember what I accomplished in antiquity! Truly I am God, I have no peer; I am God, and there is none like me, |
| 10Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish. | 10who announces the end from the beginning and reveals beforehand what has not yet occurred, who says, 'My plan will be realized, I will accomplish what I desire,' |
| 11I will call a swift bird of prey from the east— a leader from a distant land to come and do my bidding. I have said what I would do, and I will do it. | 11who summons an eagle from the east, from a distant land, one who carries out my plan. Yes, I have decreed, yes, I will bring it to pass; I have formulated a plan, yes, I will carry it out. |
| 12“Listen to me, you stubborn people who are so far from doing right. | 12Listen to me, you stubborn people, you who distance yourself from doing what is right. |
| 13For I am ready to set things right, not in the distant future, but right now! I am ready to save Jerusalem and show my glory to Israel. | 13I am bringing my deliverance near, it is not far away; I am bringing my salvation near, it does not wait. I will save Zion; I will adorn Israel with my splendor." |
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