¹⁸ With whom will you compare God?
What likeness will you set up for comparison with him?^(A)
19 An idol?—something that a smelter casts
and a metalworker plates with gold
and makes silver chains for?^(B)
20 A poor person contributes wood for a pedestal
that will not rot.^[a]
He looks for a skilled craftsman
to set up an idol that will not fall over.^(C)

⁹ All who make idols are nothing,
and what they treasure benefits no one.
Their witnesses do not see or know anything,
so they will be put to shame.^(A)
10 Who makes a god or casts a metal image
that benefits no one?^(B)
11 Look, all its worshipers will be put to shame,
and the craftsmen are humans.
They all will assemble and stand;
they all will be startled and put to shame.

¹² The ironworker labors over the coals,
shapes the idol with hammers,
and works it with his strong arm.
Also he grows hungry and his strength fails;
he doesn’t drink water and is faint.
¹³ The woodworker stretches out a measuring line,
he outlines it with a stylus;
he shapes it with chisels
and outlines it with a compass.
He makes it according to a human form,^(C)
like a beautiful person,
to dwell in a temple.
¹⁴ He cuts down^[a] cedars for his use,
or he takes a cypress or an oak.
He lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest.
He plants a laurel, and the rain makes it grow.
¹⁵ A person can use it for fuel.
He takes some of it and warms himself;
also he kindles a fire and bakes bread;
he even makes it into a god and worships it;
he makes an idol from it and bows down to it.
¹⁶ He burns half of it in a fire,
and he roasts meat on that half.
He eats the roast and is satisfied.
He warms himself and says, “Ah!
I am warm, I see the blaze.”
¹⁷ He makes a god or his idol with the rest of it.
He bows down to it and worships;
he prays to it,^(D) “Save me, for you are my god.”
¹⁸ Such people^[b] do not comprehend
and cannot understand,
for he has shut their eyes^[c] so they cannot see,
and their minds so they cannot understand.
¹⁹ No one comes to his senses;^[d]
no one has the perception or insight to say,
“I burned half of it in the fire,
I also baked bread on its coals,
I roasted meat and ate.
Should I make something detestable^(E) with the rest of it?
Should I bow down to a block of wood?”
²⁰ He feeds on^[e] ashes.
His deceived mind has led him astray,
and he cannot rescue himself,
or say, “Isn’t there a lie in my right hand?” ^(F)

¹⁴ Everyone is stupid and ignorant.
Every goldsmith is put to shame
by his carved image,^(A)
for his cast images are a lie;^(B)
there is no breath in them.^(C)