1Israels folk, hør hvad Herren har at sige:2„I må ikke dyrke de fremmede folkeslags guder eller følge deres skikke. Lad jer ikke skræmme af tegn i solen, månen eller stjernerne, selv om andre folk frygter for den slags.3Deres overtro er nytteløs, og deres afguder er falske. De hugger et træ om i skoven, og en håndværker forarbejder det til afgudsbilleder.4Han pynter dem med guld og sølv, stiller dem op og hamrer dem fast, så de ikke vælter.5Sådan nogle afguder er som fugleskræmsler i en melonmark. De kan ikke tale, og de må bæres omkring, for de kan ikke gå. Dem skal I ikke være bange for. De kan ikke gøre nogen fortræd, men de gør heller ingen gavn.”6Da sagde jeg: „Åh, Herre, ingen kan sammenlignes med dig. Du er en stor Gud, og alle kender din magt.7Du er Konge over alle folkeslag på jorden. Alle burde vise dig ærefrygt. Ingen blandt jordens vismænd og mægtige konger kan sammenlignes med dig.”8De, der søger råd hos afguder af træ, er lige så tåbelige som deres træguder.9De importerer det fineste sølv fra Tarshish og guld fra Ofir for at udsmykke deres guder. Derefter klæder de dem i imponerende, rødviolette purpurkåber, som var de konger. Dog er de kun en dygtig kunsthåndværkers arbejde.10Men Herren er den eneste sande og virkelige Gud, vores Konge, som lever for evigt. Jorden skælver, når han er vred, og folkeslagene frygter hans harme.11Israels folk, mind de andre folkeslag om, at det ikke er deres såkaldte guder, der har skabt himlen og jorden. Tværtimod, en dag skal de forsvinde fra jordens overflade.12Det var Herren, der med sin vældige styrke, visdom og snilde grundlagde universet, skabte jorden og udspændte himmelhvælvingen.13Med sin tordnende røst får han regnen til at styrte ned. Han samler skyerne fra horisonten, skaber lyn og regn og slipper vinden løs.14Alle afgudsdyrkerne er tåbelige, de forstår ingenting. Guldsmedene vil engang skamme sig over at have lavet afgudsbilleder, som er det rene svindel og bedrag. Der er jo ikke gnist af liv i dem.15De er nytteløse og latterlige, og en skønne dag bliver de ødelagt.16Men Jakobs Gud er helt anderledes. Han er verdens Skaber, og Israel er hans udvalgte folk. Han er den almægtige Gud.17„Pak jeres ejendele,” siger Herren, „for Jerusalem kommer snart under belejring.18Jeg vil straffe jer hårdt og smide jer ud af landet.”19Da vil Jerusalem råbe i fortvivlelse: „Jeg er dødeligt såret, det er ude med mig! Jeg troede, det bare var en mindre sygdom, og at jeg ville komme over det.20Men nu er mit hus revet ned, og mine indbyggere er væk. Der er ingen tilbage til at bygge mig op igen.”21Årsagen til Jerusalems ulykke er, at folkets ledere er tåber, der ikke beder Herren om hjælp eller vejledning. De handler uden forstand, og dem, de skulle være ledere for, bliver spredt.22Hør! Der lyder krigslarm i nord, nu nærmer dommen sig. Judas byer skal jævnes med jorden og blive et tilholdssted for sjakaler.23Herre, vi ved, at det ikke står i menneskets magt at bestemme sin egen skæbne, for ingen har kontrol over sin livsbane.24Derfor er det nødvendigt, at du irettesætter os, Herre. Straf os, men gør det med måde, ikke i ubændig vrede, for ellers går vi til grunde.25Udøs hellere din vrede over de folkeslag, der ikke tilbeder dig, for det er dem, der ødelægger vores land, så der kun er ruiner tilbage.
1Hear the word that the Lord speaks to you, O house of Israel.2Thus says the Lord: “Learn not the way of the nations, nor be dismayed at the signs of the heavens because the nations are dismayed at them,3for the customs of the peoples are vanity.[1] A tree from the forest is cut down and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman. (Es 40,20; Es 44,9; Es 45,20)4They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so that it cannot move. (Es 40,19; Es 41,7)5Their idols[2] are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak; they have to be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.” (Salm 115,5; Salm 115,7; Salm 135,16; Es 41,23; Es 46,7; Hab 2,18; 1.Kor 12,2)6There is none like you, O Lord; you are great, and your name is great in might. (2.Mos 15,11; Salm 86,8; Salm 86,10; Jer 49,19)7Who would not fear you, O King of the nations? For this is your due; for among all the wise ones of the nations and in all their kingdoms there is none like you. (Jer 5,22; Åb 15,4)8They are both stupid and foolish; the instruction of idols is but wood! (Es 41,29; Jer 10,21; Hab 2,18; Zak 10,2)9Beaten silver is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz. They are the work of the craftsman and of the hands of the goldsmith; their clothing is violet and purple; they are all the work of skilled men. (1.Mos 10,4; 1.Kong 10,22; Salm 115,4; Es 40,19; Dan 10,5)10But the Lord is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King. At his wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure his indignation. (5.Mos 32,4; Salm 31,5; Salm 42,2)11Thus shall you say to them: “The gods who did not make the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under the heavens.”[3] (Salm 96,5; Es 2,18; Jer 10,15; Zak 13,2)12It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens. (1.Mos 1,1; 1.Mos 1,6; 1.Mos 1,9; Job 9,8; Salm 104,5; Ord 3,19; Jer 51,15)13When he utters his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, and he brings forth the wind from his storehouses. (Job 5,10; Job 38,22; Job 38,34; Salm 104,6; Salm 135,7; Jer 14,22)14Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them. (Salm 135,17; Ord 30,2; Es 42,17; Jer 10,8; Hab 2,19; Rom 1,22)15They are worthless, a work of delusion; at the time of their punishment they shall perish.16Not like these is he who is the portion of Jacob, for he is the one who formed all things, and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance; the Lord of hosts is his name. (5.Mos 32,9; Salm 16,5; Jer 31,35; Jer 32,18; Jer 50,34)17Gather up your bundle from the ground, O you who dwell under siege! (Jer 6,1; Ez 12,3)18For thus says the Lord: “Behold, I am slinging out the inhabitants of the land at this time, and I will bring distress on them, that they may feel it.” (5.Mos 28,20; 1.Sam 25,29)19Woe is me because of my hurt! My wound is grievous. But I said, “Truly this is an affliction, and I must bear it.” (Jer 14,17; Jer 30,12)20My tent is destroyed, and all my cords are broken; my children have gone from me, and they are not; there is no one to spread my tent again and to set up my curtains. (Es 54,2; Jer 4,20; Jer 31,15)21For the shepherds are stupid and do not inquire of the Lord; therefore they have not prospered, and all their flock is scattered. (Jer 10,8; Jer 23,1; Ez 34,2; Ez 34,5)22A voice, a rumor! Behold, it comes!— a great commotion out of the north country to make the cities of Judah a desolation, a lair of jackals. (Jer 1,13; Jer 9,11)23I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps. (Ord 16,1; Ord 20,24; Dan 5,23)24Correct me, O Lord, but in justice; not in your anger, lest you bring me to nothing. (Salm 6,1; Salm 38,1; Jer 30,11; Jer 46,28)25Pour out your wrath on the nations that know you not, and on the peoples that call not on your name, for they have devoured Jacob; they have devoured him and consumed him, and have laid waste his habitation. (Salm 14,4; Salm 79,6; Jer 8,16; Jer 30,16)