כָּרַע בֵּל קֹרֵס נְבוֹ הָיוּ עֲצַבֵּיהֶם לַחַיָּה וְלַבְּהֵמָה נְשֻׂאֹתֵיכֶם עֲמוּסוֹת מַשָּׂא לַעֲיֵפָה

The prophet continues with a description of the downfall of the false gods of Babylon, as opposed to the Eternal of Israel. The Babylonian god Bel kneels, and Nevo, another Babylonian god, collapses; their effigies fell from their raised platform and were destined for the beast and for the animal. These idols will be loaded upon animals either by those fleeing or by those who are plundering the temple. Some explain that they will be cast to the ground to be trampled upon by animals. Your carriers are weighed down, you are a burden for the weary animals, which will be fatigued from bearing the idols Bel and Nevo.

קָרְסוּ כָרְעוּ יַחְדָּו לֹא יָכְלוּ מַלֵּט מַשָּׂא וְנַפְשָׁם בַּשְּׁבִי הָלָכָה

They collapse, kneel together; they could not salvage a burden and themselves have gone into captivity.

שִׁמְעוּ אֵלַי בֵּית יַעֲקֹב וְכָל שְׁאֵרִית בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל הַעֲמֻסִים מִנִּי בֶטֶן הַנְּשֻׂאִים מִנִּי רָחַם

Hear Me, house of Jacob and all the remnant of the house of Israel, who are weighed down from birth, who are carried from the womb. From the time of your birth God watches over you and takes care of you. In contrast to the idols, whose worshippers would carry them on their animals, God bears His worshippers, Israel.

ועַד זִקְנָה – אֲנִי הוּא וְעַד שֵׂיבָה – אֲנִי אֶסְבֹּל אֲנִי עָשִׂיתִי וַאֲנִי אֶשָּׂא וַאֲנִי אֶסְבֹּל וַאֲמַלֵּט

Therefore, you need not worry over the future, as until old age I am He who will carry you, and until gray hairs I will bear you; I made and I will carry; I will bear and I will rescue you from forthcoming troubles as well.

לְמִי תְדַמְּיוּנִי וְתַשְׁווּ ותַמְשִׁלוּנִי וְנִדְמֶה

To whom will you liken and equate Me, or compare Me so that we seem alike? Unlike idols, I do not have a form that can be described.

הַזָּלִים זָהָב מִכִּיס וְכֶסֶף בַּקָּנֶה יִשְׁקֹלוּ יִשְׂכְּרוּ צוֹרֵף וְיַעֲשֵׂהוּ אֵל יִסְגְּדוּ אַף יִשְׁתַּחֲווּ

Those idol worshippers who empty gold from a purse, they will weigh silver on a scale, and after weighing the silver they will hire a goldsmith and he will make it a god; they will worship it, even prostrate themselves.

יִשָּׂאֻהוּ עַל כָּתֵף יִסְבְּלֻהוּ וְיַנִּיחֻהוּ תַחְתָּיו וְיַעֲמֹד מִמְּקוֹמוֹ לֹא יָמִישׁ אַף יִצְעַק אֵלָיו – וְלֹא יַעֲנֶה מִצָּרָתוֹ לֹא יוֹשִׁיעֶנּוּ

They will carry it, the idol, on a shoulder, in contrast to God, who carries Israel. They, its worshippers, will bear it after having spent much money on fashioning it, and then they will set it in place so that it may stand; it will not move from its place; even if one will call to it, it will not answer, it will not save him from his distress.

זִכְרוּ זֹאת וְהִתְאֹשָׁשׁוּ הָשִׁיבוּ פוֹשְׁעִים עַל לֵב

Remember this and strengthen yourselves [hitoshashu]. Some explain this to mean: Become intelligent men, from the root ish. Take it to heart and reflect upon this, transgressors.

זִכְרוּ רִאשֹׁנוֹת מֵעוֹלָם כִּי אָנֹכִי אֵל וְאֵין עוֹד אֱלֹהִים וְאֶפֶס כָּמוֹנִי

Remember the first things from eternity that I am God, I am God from the beginning, and there is no other God, and there is none like Me.

מַגִּיד מֵרֵאשִׁית אַחֲרִית וּמִקֶּדֶם אֲשֶׁר לֹא נַעֲשׂוּ אֹמֵר עֲצָתִי תָקוּם וְכָל חֶפְצִי אֶעֱשֶׂה

I am telling the outcome from the outset, and from ancient times I am announcing that which was not done. I say: My devising will stand and My every desire I will perform;

קֹרֵא מִמִּזְרָח עַיִט מֵאֶרֶץ מֶרְחָק אִישׁ עֲצָתִי אַף דִּבַּרְתִּי אַף אֲבִיאֶנָּה יָצַרְתִּי אַף אֶעֱשֶׂנָּה

I call a bird of prey from the east, an allusion to Cyrus, who stooped upon Babylonia from the northeast, the man of My counsel, the one whose arrival I prepared from a distant land; even as I spoke, saying that I would do this, I will also bring it about; I formed it, so will I perform it.

שִׁמְעוּ אֵלַי אַבִּירֵי לֵב הָרְחוֹקִים מִצְּדָקָה

Hear Me, you hard-hearted, stubborn ones, who are consequently far from righteousness, from the upright path, as you do not listen to My words.

קֵרַבְתִּי צִדְקָתִי לֹא תִרְחָק וּתְשׁוּעָתִי לֹא תְאַחֵר וְנָתַתִּי בְצִיּוֹן תְּשׁוּעָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל תִּפְאַרְתִּי

I brought My righteousness near; it will not be far. I will implement My judgment in the near future. And My salvation will not be delayed; I will place in Zion salvation for My splendor, Israel.