44:1 Yet hear now, O Jacob my slave, and Israel, whom I have chosen:
44:2 Thus says Yahweh who made you, and formed you from the womb, who will help you: Don't be afraid, O Jacob my slave; and you, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.
44:3 For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit on your seed, and my blessing on your offspring:
44:4 and they will spring up among the grass, as willows by the watercourses.
44:5 One will say, I am Yahweh's; and another will call the name of Jacob; and another will write with his hand, For Yahweh, and will name the name of Israel.
44:6 Thus says Yahweh, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, Yahweh of hosts: I am the first, and I am the last; and besides me there is no God.
44:7 And who is like me? Let him call and declare it, and set it in order for me, since my establishing the ancient people. And let them declare the things that are coming, and that will come to pass, to [those among] them.
44:8 Don't be+ afraid, neither be scared: Have I not declared to you of old, and shown it? And you+ are my witnesses. Is there a God besides me? Yes, there is no Rock; I don't know any.
44:9 Those who fashion a graven image are all of them vanity; and the things that they delight in will not profit; and their own witnesses don't see, nor know: that they may be put to shame.
44:10 Who has fashioned a god, or molten an image that is profitable for nothing?
44:11 Look, all his partners will be put to shame; and the workmen, they are of man: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; they will fear, they will be put to shame together.
44:12 The blacksmith [makes] an ax, and works in the coals, and fashions it with hammers, and works it with his strong arm: yes, he is hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks no water, and is faint.
44:13 The carpenter stretches out a line; he marks it out with a pencil; he shapes it with planes, and he marks it out with the compasses, and shapes it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of man, to dwell in a house.
44:14 He cuts down cedars, and takes the holm-tree and the oak, and strengthens for himself one among the trees of the forest: he plants a fir-tree, and the rain nourishes it.
44:15 Then it will be for man to burn; and he takes of it, and warms himself; yes, he kindles it, and bakes bread: yes, he makes a god, and worships it; he makes it a graven image, and falls down to it.
44:16 He burns part of it in the fire; with part of it he eats flesh; he roasts roast, and is satisfied; yes, he warms himself, and says, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire.
44:17 And its remnant he makes a god, even his graven image; he falls down to it and worships, and prays to it, and says, Deliver me; for you are my god.
44:18 They don't know, neither do they consider: for he has shut their eyes, that they can't see; and their hearts, that they can't understand.
44:19 And none calls to mind, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yes, I have also baked bread on its coals; I have roasted flesh and eaten it: and shall I make its remainder [into] a disgusting thing? Shall I fall down to a piece of wood?
44:20 He feeds on ashes; a deceived heart has turned him aside; and he can't deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?
44:21 Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel; for you are my slave: I have formed you; you are my slave: O Israel, you will not be forgotten of me.
44:22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, your transgressions, and, as a cloud, your sins: return to me; for I have redeemed you.
44:23 Sing, O you+ heavens, for Yahweh has done it; shout, you+ lower parts of the earth; break forth into singing, you+ mountains, O forest, and every tree in it: for Yahweh has redeemed Jacob, and will glorify himself in Israel.
44:24 Thus says Yahweh, your Redeemer, and he who formed you from the womb: I am Yahweh, who makes all things; who stretches forth the heavens alone; who spreads abroad the earth (who is with me?);
44:25 who frustrates the signs of the liars, and makes fortune-tellers insane; who turns wise men backward, and makes their knowledge foolish;
44:26 who confirms the word of his slave, and performs the counsel of his messengers; who says of Jerusalem, She will be inhabited; and of the cities of Judah, They will be built, and I will raise up their waste places;
44:27 who says to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up your rivers;
44:28 who says of Cyrus, [He is] my shepherd, and will perform all my pleasure, even saying of Jerusalem, She will be built; and of the temple, Your foundation will be laid.