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Thus says the Lord: "Do not learn the way of the Gentiles; Do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven, For the Gentiles are dismayed at them.
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For the customs of the peoples are futile; For one cuts a tree from the forest, The work of the hands of the workman, with the ax.
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They decorate it with silver and gold; They fasten it with nails and hammers So that it will not topple.
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They are upright, like a palm tree, And they cannot speak; They must be carried, Because they cannot go by themselves. Do not be afraid of them, For they cannot do evil, Nor can they do any good."
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Inasmuch as there is none like You, O Lord (You are great, and Your name is great in might),
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Who would not fear You, O King of the nations? For this is Your rightful due. For among all the wise men of the nations, And in all their kingdoms, There is none like You.
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But they are altogether dull-hearted and foolish; A wooden idol is a worthless doctrine.
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Silver is beaten into plates; It is brought from Tarshish, And gold from Uphaz, The work of the craftsman And of the hands of the metalsmith; Blue and purple are their clothing; They are all the work of skillful men.
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But the Lord is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King. At His wrath the earth will tremble, And the nations will not be able to endure His indignation.
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Thus you shall say to them: "The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens."
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He has made the earth by His power, He has established the world by His wisdom, And has stretched out the heavens at His discretion.
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When He utters His voice, There is a multitude of waters in the heavens: "And He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, He brings the wind out of His treasuries."
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Everyone is dull-hearted, without knowledge; Every metalsmith is put to shame by an image; For his molded image is falsehood, And there is no breath in them.
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They are futile, a work of errors; In the time of their punishment they shall perish.
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The Portion of Jacob is not like them, For He is the Maker of all things, And Israel is the tribe of His inheritance; The Lord of hosts is His name.
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Gather up your wares from the land, O inhabitant of the fortress!
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For thus says the Lord: "Behold, I will throw out at this time The inhabitants of the land, And will distress them, That they may find it so."
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Woe is me for my hurt! My wound is severe. But I say, "Truly this is an infirmity, And I must bear it."
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My tent is plundered, And all my cords are broken; My children have gone from me, And they are no more. There is no one to pitch my tent anymore, Or set up my curtains.
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For the shepherds have become dull-hearted, And have not sought the Lord; Therefore they shall not prosper, And all their flocks shall be scattered.
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Behold, the noise of the report has come, And a great commotion out of the north country, To make the cities of Judah desolate, a den of jackals.