24
These idols have been plated with gold to make them beautiful, but they do not shine unless someone polishes them. When they were being poured into molds, they felt nothing.
25
It makes no difference how high a price is paid for them; they are still unable to breathe.
26
See how useless they are! They can't walk on their own feet, but must be carried around.
27
Even those who take care of them are embarrassed when one of their gods falls to the ground and has to be picked up again. When someone stands one of them in a certain place, it cannot move, and if it is leaning over, it can never straighten itself up. Offering gifts to them is like giving gifts to a corpse.
28
Priests sell what is sacrificed to their gods and use the money on themselves. And the wives of the priests preserve the sacrifices with salt for later use, instead of sharing them with the poor and helpless.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.