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And taketh the ilex and the oak,

And strengtheneth for himself one among the trees of the forest;

He planteth a bay-tree, and the rain doth nourish it.

¹⁵Then a man useth it for fuel;

And he taketh thereof, and warmeth himself;

Yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread;

Yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it;

He maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.

¹⁶He burneth the half thereof in the fire;

With the half thereof he eateth flesh;

He roasteth roast, and is satisfied;

Yea, he warmeth himself, and saith: 'Aha,

I am warm, I have seen the fire';

¹⁷And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image;

He falleth down unto it and worshippeth, and prayeth unto it,

And saith: 'Deliver me, for thou art my god.'

 

¹⁸They know not, neither do they understand;

For their eyes are bedaubed, that they cannot see,

And their hearts, that they cannot understand.

¹⁹And none considereth in his heart,

Neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say:

'I have burned the half of it in the fire;

Yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof;

I have roasted flesh and eaten it;

And shall I make the residue thereof an abomination?

Shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?'

²⁰He striveth after ashes,

A deceived heart hath turned him aside,

That he cannot deliver his soul, nor say:

'Is there not a lie in my right hand?'

 

²¹Remember these things, O Jacob,

And Israel, for thou art My servant;

I have formed thee, thou art Mine own servant;

O Israel, thou shouldest not forget Me.

²²I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions,

And, as a cloud, thy sins;

Return unto Me, for I have redeemed thee.

²³Sing, O ye heavens, for the Lord hath done it;

Shout, ye lowest parts of the earth;

Break forth into singing, ye mountains,

O forest, and every tree therein;

For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob,

And doth glorify Himself in Israel.

 

²⁴Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer,

And He that formed thee from the womb:

I am the Lord, that maketh all things;

That stretched forth the heavens alone;

That spread abroad the earth by Myself;

²⁵That frustrateth the tokens of the imposters,

And maketh diviners mad;

That turneth wise men backward,

And maketh their knowledge foolish;

²⁶That confirmeth the word of His servant,

And performeth the counsel of His messengers;

That saith of Jerusalem: 'She shall be inhabited';

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