Babylonia's Gods Are Helpless
The Lord said:
1 The gods Bel and Nebo
are down on their knees,
as wooden images of them
are carried away
on weary animals.
2 They are down on their knees
to rescue the heavy load,
but the images are still taken
to a foreign country.
3 You survivors in Israel,
listen to me, the Lord.
Since the day you were born,
I have carried you along.
4 I will still be the same
when you are old and gray,
and I will take care of you.
I created you. I will carry you
and always keep you safe.
5 Can anyone compare with me?
Is anyone my equal?
6 Some people hire a goldsmith
and give silver and gold
to be formed into an idol
for them to worship.
7 They carry the idol
on their shoulders,
then put it on a stand,
but it cannot move.
They call out to the idol
when they are in trouble,
but it doesn't answer,
and it cannot help.
8 Now keep this in mind,
you sinful people.
And don't ever forget it.
The Lord Alone Is God
9 I alone am God!
There are no other gods;
no one is like me.
Think about what happened
many years ago.
10 From the very beginning,
I told what would happen
long before it took place.
I kept my word 11 and brought
someone from a distant land
to do what I wanted.
He attacked from the east,
like a hawk swooping down.
Now I will keep my promise
and do what I planned.
12 You people are stubborn
and far from being safe,
so listen to me.
13 I will soon come to save you.
I am not far away
and will waste no time;
I take pride in Israel
and will save Jerusalem.
1 “Beli ge ge ǃhon, Nebob ge ge ǃgamǃgâ;
ǁîkha īgu ge dâukin ai ra ǃnaohe;
sakho ge ǃgom ǃnaob ase ǀnai tsau hâ dâukina ība.
2 ǁÎn ge ǁkhā ǁoa tsî ge ǃgamǃgâ,
ǁîn ǃgomman ge ge tani ǁoa,
tsîn ge ǁîn ǂûna ǃkhōsis ǃnâ ge ūǃgûhe.
3 “Jakob ommi dido,
ûiǃgau gedu Israeli ommi dido,
ǃnaetsēs âdo xu tita xa ge tanihedo,
ǁhās ǃnâ du hâsa xu tita xa ge tanihedo,
tita ǃgâ re.
4 Sadu kairasib ǃnâs tsîna tita ǀguita
tsî ǀhaidanasis kōses tsîna ta nî tani du.
Tita ge ge kuru du tsî ta ge nî tani du,
tita ge tani tsî nî ore du.
5 “Tari-i ǀkha du nî ǀgopeǀnō te
tsî tari-i ǀkha nî ǀguiǀgui te?
Tari-i ǀkha du nî ǀgopeǀnō te
tsî tari-e tita khami nî ī-e?
6 ǁÎn ge ǃhuniǀuriba mariǁgarusa xu tsoroǂui
tsî ǀhaiǀuriba ǀnō-ūdas ai ra ǀnō.
ǃHuniǀurikuru-aoban ge ge ǃgae,
ǁînab elo-e nî kurubase;
tsîn ge ǁî-i aiǃâ ǃhonǁgoa tsî ǁî-e ra ǀgoreǀî.
7 ǁÎn ǃhōgu ai ǁî-e ǁgui tsîn ge ǁî-e ra tani,
ǁî-i ǃkhais ain ge ǁî-e kurumâi ra tsî-i ge ǁnāpa ra mâ.
ǁÎ-e xu i ge aitsama ǃgû ǁoa.
Khoe-i ga ǁî-i ǃoa ǃauǂgai,
xawe i ge ǃeream tama,
tamas ka io ǁî-e ǃgomsiba xu huiǂui tama hâ.
8 “Sadu ǁore-aodo, nēsa ǂâihō, î ǂâiǃgâ;
ǁîsa ǂâis ǃnâ ǃkhōǀgara.
9 ǀNai ge ī xūna ǂâihō,
tita a Elo tsî i ǀnî-i xare-e ǀkhai xuige.
Tita ge Elota
tsî-i tita khami ī-e a ǀkhai.
10 Tita ge ǀnai tsoatsoas ai ǀams xa ge ǂanǂan;
ǀnai ta ge noxopa nî ī xūna nēti ge ǂhôa:
‘Ti ǀapes ge nî hâhâ
tsî ta ge ti ǂâibasensa nî dīǀoaǀoa.’
11 Tita ge ǃariǃkhā-e amǀnē-i ǃaroma aiǂoasa xu nî ǂgai,
tsî ti sîsenǂui-ao-e, aiǂoasa xu.
Tita ge ge ǃhoa tsî tita ge ǁîsa nî ī kai,
tita ge ge ǃaroma tsî tita ge ǁîsa nî dī.
12 “Sa ǃnâudanaxado, tita ǃgâ,
sadu oresa xu ǃnūse hâdo.
13 Ti oresa ta ge ra ǀgūǀgū, ǁîs ge ǃnū tama hâ
tsî ti ǃgâiǃōsib ge ǀhabe tide.
ǃGâiǃōsiba ta ge Sionsa nî mā,
Israela ti ǂkhaisiba.”
