9
Those that make a graven image
are all of them vanity; and that which is most precious to them is useful for nothing; and they
are their own witnesses that they do not see, nor understand; therefore, they shall be ashamed.
10
Who has formed God? And who cast a graven image
that is profitable for nothing?
11
Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed; for the workmen, they
are of men; even if all of them are gathered together and stand, they shall fear and shall be ashamed together.
12
The smith
shall take the tongs; he shall work among the coals; he shall give it form with the hammers and bring forth in it the arm of his strength; though
he is hungry and his strength fails: he shall not drink water, even if he faints.
13
The carpenter stretches out
his rule; he measures it with a line; he fits it with planes; he marks it out with the compass; he makes it after the form of a
noble man, in the likeness of
the beauty
of a man; that it may remain in the house.
14
He shall hew down cedars and take the cypress and the oak, and he shall strengthen himself with the trees of the forest; he shall plant a fir tree, which shall be nourished with the rain.
15
The man shall then use of it for firewood; for he will take thereof and warm himself; he will kindle
it and bake bread; he will also make a god and worship
it; he will fabricate an idol and shall kneel down before it.
16
He shall burn part of it in the fire; with
another part thereof he shall eat flesh; he shall roast meat and shall satisfy himself. Afterwards he shall warm
himself and say, Aha, I have warmed myself, I have seen fire;
17
the residue of it he turns into god, into his graven image; he humbles himself before it and worships
it and prays unto it and says, Deliver me; for thou
art my god.
18
They did not know nor understand; for
he has anointed their eyes that they not see
and their hearts that they not understand.
19
He does not return to his right mind; he does not have knowledge nor intelligence to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; I have also baked bread upon the coals of it; I have roasted flesh and eaten
it and shall I make the residue of it an abomination? Do I have to humble myself before the trunk of a tree?
20
The ashes feed
him; his deceived heart inclines him, that he not deliver his soul and say,
Is not the lie at my right hand?