1 Nē-i ge sîǂkhanis di ǁgoeǃgau-i, Jeremiab xa ge Jerusalems di Jodeǁîn ǃoa, Babiloniaǁî gao-aob xan nî ǃkhōsis ǃnâ ūhe tsî Babilons ǃoa ūǃgûhes aiǃâ ge sîhe-e. ǁÎ-i ge Elob ge Jeremiaba ǁînab nî māse mîmā haisi-amsa ǃkhōǂgā hâ.
Khoen ge gaxuse ǃkhōsis ǃnâ ge hâ
2 Elob ǃoagu du ge ǁore, amaga du ge Babilons gao-aob, Nebukadnesari xa ǃkhōsabese Babilons ǃoa nî ǃgû-ūhe. 3 Babilons ǃnâ du ge ǂgui kurina, hûǁî ôananôagub kōse ǁnāpa ǃkhōsis ǃnâ nî hâ. ǁNās khaoǃgâb ge Eloba Babilonsa xu ǂkhîb ǃnâ sadu ǁanǃkhaide ǃoa nî ǂgaeǂgui-oa du.
4 ǁNāpa Babilons ǃnâ du ge hain, ǀhaiǀurin tsî ǃhuniǀurin ǀkha kuruhe hâ elona nî mû. Nē elon ge khoen xa kuruhe hâ tsî ǃhōdi ân ai ra tanihe tsî ǁîn xa ra ǃaohe. 5 ǂAn, î du ǁnā Jodeǁî tamana tā ǁgaeǁgae, tamas ka iob nē elona du ūba hâ ǃaoba tā sado gaoǂam, ǂgui khoena du ga ǁîna tanima tsîn ra ǀgoreǀîse mû ǁaeb ai. 6 ǁNās ǃās ǃnâ sadu ǃnâ aitsama “ǃKhūtse, sats ǀguitsa da ge nî ǀgoreǀî” ti mî re. 7 Elob ǀhomǃgāb ge sadu ǀkha hâ tsî nî ǃûi du.
Huioǃnâsib ǁgôa-elon dib
8 ǁÎn di ǁgôa-elon ge ǀhaiǀurib tsî ǃhuniǀurib ǀkha ǃkhûǀkhāhe hâ, tsîn ge ǃnaokuru-aogu xan ǃgaoǂuibahe hâ namga ūhâ. Xawen ge ama elo tama tsî a ǃhoa ǁoa. 9 Khoen ge ǃhuniǀuri kronde kuru tsî ǁîn di ǁgôa-elona ra ǀgapa, anu-anusenxūna ǀnam ǀgôaden ga dība khami. 10 ǀNî ǁaeb ai gu ge pristerga ǀhaiǀurin tsî ǃhuniǀurin tsîna elona xu ǃnaribasen tsî ǁîgu di ǃgâiba ǃoa sîsenū 11 tsî ǀnîna ǁkhāti tempeli di ǀai-aode ra mā. Khoen ge nē elon hain, ǀhaiǀurin tsî ǃhuniǀurin ǀkha kuruhe hâna, khoe-i khami sarana ra ana. 12 ǁGôa-elon ga gao-aogu khami ǂhoaǀapa saraga ana xawes tsînan ge ǁî-aitsama ǀuriǀgūb tamas ka io koms ǃoagu a ǁkhaubasen ǁoa. 13 Tempeli di tsarab ga ǁîn di aidi ai ǁgoe, o i ge khoe-e ǁîna nî ǀomǁnâba. 14 ǀGoraǃgâ-aon khamin ǁîn di ǃomgu ǃnâ gaohaiga ra tani, xawen ge ǁîn ǃoagu ra tsūdī khoe-e ǁkharas di ǁkhāsi-i xare-e ūhâ tama hâ. 15 ǀNî ǃnādi ain ge ǃnubu hoaǀkhāǀāgôagu tsî ǃōdi tsîna amǀkhāb ǃomgu ǃnâ ra ūhâ, xawe torob ǃnân ga hîkākāhe tamas ka io ǃnari-aogu xa tanibēheo, ǁî-aitsama a ǁkhaubasen ǁoa. 16 Nēn hoan ge elo taman hâ ǃkhaisa ra ǁgauǂui, xuige tā ǁîna ǀgoreǀî.
17 ǁNā elon, ǁîn di tempelgu ǃnâ ǂnôan ge khôa hâ ǂgoasū-i khami, ǀgui xū-i tsîna harebe tama hâ. ǁÎn di mûdi ge tempelgu ǃnâ ra ǂgâ khoen ǂaidi di tsarab xa ǀoa hâ. 18 Pristergu ge ǃnari-aogu khôaǂgâ tidega, Tempelga dao-amdi, ǃnau-amdi tsî ǀuri ǃnâu-ūdagu tsîn ǀkha ra ǀgaiǀgai. ǁGôa-elon ge ǀgoraǃgâhe nîse ī ǃkhōsabe-i, gao-aob ǃoagu tsūdī hâ-i khami ra ǂganamǂgāhe. 19 Pristergu ge ǁîgu ǂhunugu ǂhâba hâs ǃgâ-ai ǃnāsa ǃamǀaede ra ǁîn di elona ǃamba, xawen ge ǁgôa-elona ǀguis xawes tsîna mû tama hâ. 20 ǁÎn ge tempeli di ǃnaogu ǁkhāgu khami koms xa ra haputoahe tsî ǁîn di sarana ra hîkākāhe, xawen ge ǀgui xū-i tsîna ǁnās xa a ǀū. 21 Aidi ân ge tempeli ǃnâ hâ ǀanni xa ǂnūǂnūhe hâ. 22 Surutsiǃgūbedi, swabelanin, ǀnî aniǃnôan tsî ǁkhāti ǀhôan tsîn ge ǁîn ai ra ǂnû. 23 Nēn hoan ge elo taman hâ ǃkhaisa ra ǁgauǂui, xuige tā ǁîga ǀgoreǀî.
24 Nē ǁgôa-elon ge îxasen nî mûsen ga ǃhuniǀurib ǀkha ra ǃkhûǀkhāhe, xawen ge khoe-i xan ga ǂkhaiǂkhaihe tama io napa tama hâ. Tsunitsunihe tsîn gere ǂnâhe, xawes tsînan ge ǁîna, xū-e ge hōǃâ tama hâ i. 25 Mâtikō ǂgui marinan ga khoena ǁîn ai māǂui, xawen ge nē elona a ǀomoǃnâ xū. 26 Kō mâtin xū tama ǃkhaisa! ǁÎn di ǂhunuma ǂaidi ǀkhan a ǃgû ǁoa, xui-aon ge khoen xa ra tanihe. 27 ǁNān ǁîna ra ǃkhōǂhomin ge nē elon di ǀgui-i ga ǃhūb ai ǁnā tsî khoen xa nî ūkhâihese ī, ǃkhais xa ra tao. ǁÎn di ǀgui-i ga ǃkhai-i ai mâihe, o i ge ǁnāpa xu ǃgû ǁoa tsî ǁarese i ga mâ, o i ge tātsē aitsama ǂgōse a mâ ǁoa. ǁÎna ǀkhaexūna mās ge ǁō hâ sorosa ǀkhaexūna mās ǀkha ǀgui. 28 Pristergu ge ǁîn di elon ra ǁguibahe xūna ǁamaxū tsî mari-e aitsama ra sîsenū. Tsî pristergu di taradi ge ǁguibahe ra xūna, huio tsî ǀgâsa khoen ǀkha ǀgoragus ǃās ǃnâ, ǃgoaxaǁaeb ǃnâ sîsenūs ǃaroma ǂōǂgā tsî ra sâu. 29 ǁKhāti di ge tarekhoedi, hîa ǁkhâǀaesenna ūhâdi tamas ka io ǀase ge ǁorade, ǁîn di ǁguibade tsâǀkhāsa a mā-amsa. Nēn hoan ge elo taman hâ ǃkhaisa ra ǁgauǂui, xuige tā ǁîna ǀgoreǀî.
30 Mâtin kha elon ti ǂgaihe ǁkhā, tarekhoedi ga nē xūn, hain, ǀhaiǀurib tsî ǃhuniǀurib ǀkha kuruhe hâna ǁguibade dībasa mā-amheo? 31 ǁKhāti gu ge pristerga doa hâ saran ǀkha tsî ǂkhomhe hâse tsî ǀōdanase, tempelgu ǃnâ ra ǂnû. 32 ǁÎgu ge ǃgari dommi ǀkha ǁkhōs ǃnâ ra ǁhao khami, ǁîgu di elon aiǃâ ra ā. 33 Tsî gu ge elona ǀnî sarana ǂgaeǂuiǀkhā tsî ǁîgu taradi tsî ǀgôan tsîna ra mā. 34 Nēsits ga nē elona hui tamas ka io ǂkhôa, xawen ge ǁîna a ǀkhaobasen ǁoa. ǁÎn ge khoe-e gao-aose mâi tamas ka io tronsa xu ūǁnâs 35 tsî khoe-e ǃkhū kai tamas ka io mari-e mās di ǁkhāsi-e ūhâ tama hâ. Khoe-i ga ǁîna xū-e nūba tsî xawe ǁnāsa dīǀoaǀoa tama i, os tsînan ge ǁgôa-elona tātsē mataresa ǂgaoǀkhā tide. 36 ǁÎn ge tātsēs tsîna khoe-e ǁōba xu huiǂui ǁoa tsî ǁkhāti ǀgaisa-i nî ǂkhabusa-e tsûtsû ǃkhaisa a ǁkhae ǁoa. 37 ǁÎn ge ǂgī khoe-e ǁkhawa a mû kai ǁoa tsî ǀhūsasib ǃnâ hâ-e a hui ǁoa. 38 ǁÎn ge khoe-i xare-e ǀkhom tamas ka io ǃoataradi tsî ǃoaǀgôana a hui ǁoa. 39 Nē xūn, hain ǀkha kuruhe tsî ǀhaiǀurib tsî ǃhuniǀurib ǀkha ǃkhûǀkhāhe hân ge ǃhomga xu ūhe hâ ǀui-i khami a ǀgaioǃnâ, tsîn ge ǁîna ra ǀgoreǀî khoena ge nî taotaohe. 40 Mâti i khoe-e elon ti ǁîna ǂâi ǁkhā, tamas ka io ǁîna elon ti ǂgai ǁkhā.
ǁGôa-elona ǀgoreǀîs di gâsib
Babiloniaǁîn ǂûn ge ǁîn di elona ǃgôasi-e ūhâba tama hâ. 41 Khoe-i ga ǃhoa ǁoa, on ge tempeli ǃoa nē khoe-e hā-ū tsî Beli, ǁîn di elob ǃoa ra ǀgore, îb ǁîba nē khoe-e ǃhoa ǁkhāsi kai, iseb Bela xū-e ra ǁnâuǃā xū-i khami. 42 Khoen ge ǁîn di elon a hui ǁoa ǃkhaisan ra mûǂan, xawes tsîna ǁnātikōse gâre tsî noxopa ǁîna ra ǀgoreǀî. 43 ǁNās ǀgui tamas, tarekhoedi tsîn ge aitsama ǀai-aose, tsurigu ǀkha ǃgaesen hâse tempeli ǃauga, daob amǃgâ ǂnû tsî ǁnāpa-u ra ǃkharu khoega ra nana. Khoeb ga ǀguis ǁîdi disa ǁgoe-ūgus ǃaroma ū tsîb ga tsurib âsa ǃgâu, os ge oahās rao, naus ǁîs xōǀkhā ǂnôas hîa îsa tamas hâ xui-ao go ǁhûihe tama hâ isa ra ǃhō. 44 Mâ xū-i hoa-i nē ǁgôa-elon xa hâ-i ge a harebeoǃnâ. Mâti i khoe-e elon ti ǁîna ǂâi ǁkhā tamas ka io ǁîna elon ti ǂgai ǁkhā.
45 Nē elon ge ǃnaokuru-aogu tsî ǃhuniǀuriǂnau-aogu xa ra kuruhe tsîn ge ǁîna kuru-aogu ǂhâba hâ khami ǀgui ra ī. 46 ǁÎn di kuru-aogu tsîn ge gaxuse ûi tama hâ, mâti gu ǁnâi elona nî kuru ǁkhā? 47 Nē khoegu ge ǀnî xū-e tama, xawe gāxaǃnâsib tsî ǂhumib tsîkha ǀguikha ǀumis ase ǃgoaxaǁaeb di suriba ra ǁnāxūba. 48 Torogu tsî tsūǀkhāgu ga hā, o gu ge pristerga mâpa gu nî ǁîgu di elon ǀkha gau ǃkhaisa ra ǀapeǀape. 49 Nē ǁgôa-elon ge torogu tsî tsūǀkhāgu di ǁaeb ǃnâ huioǃnâ. Tare-i ǃaroman khoena nē ǁgôa-elon, elo tama ǃkhaisa mûǂan tama hâ?
50 Nē ǁgôa-elon ge hain, hîa ǀhaiǀurib tsî ǃhuniǀurib ǀkha ǀgui ǃkhûǀkhāhe hâna. Amasen elo tama ǃkhais ge ǀguitsē nî ǃgāsa. 51 Hoa ǁaedi tsî gao-aogu ge ǁgôa-elon khoesi ǃomgu ǀkha ǀgui kuruhe hâ xū ǃkhaisa nî mûǂan. ǁÎn ge elo-i di ǁkhāsi-e ūhâ tama hâ, 52 tsî i ge mâ khoe-i hoa-e, ǁîn ama elo tama ǃkhaisa nî ǂan.
53 Nē elon ge gao-ao-e mâi ǁoa tsî ǁkhāti ǀapiba a hā-ū ǁoa. 54 ǁÎn ge ǁîgu di ǂhunuma dīxūn ai mîǁguiga ū tamas ka io tsūdīhe ge khoe-e a ǃhoaǃnoraǃnora ǁoa; ǁîn ǀgui xū-i tsîna a dī ǁoa. ǁÎn ge goran hîa ǀhommi tsî ǃhūbaib tsîkha ǁaegu ra ǁkhanaman ǁkhan khami, xū-e hareba tama hâ. 55 Tempeli ga ǂhubi, o gu ge pristerga, ǁîgu di ûiga gu nî sâu ga ra ǃkhoeni, xawe ǁgôa-elon hîa haina xu kuruhe tsî ǀhaiǀurib tsî ǃhuniǀurib ǀkha ǃkhûǀkhāhe hân ge ǁnāxūhe tsî ǃnaogu khami ra ǂhubiǂui. 56 ǁÎn ge gao-aogu ǃoagu ǃkham ǁoa tamas ka io khākhoen ǃoagu, torob ǃnâ ǃgûǂoa ǁoa. Mâti i kha khoe-e, elon a ǃkhaisa a ǂgom ǁkhā.
57 Nē elon, haina xu kuruhe tsî ǀhaiǀurib tsî ǃhuniǀurib ǀkha ǃkhûǀkhāhe hân ge ǃnari-aon tsî ǁgūǀhana-aon 58 hîa ǁîn di ǀhaiǀurib, ǃhuniǀurib tsî sarana ra ūn ǃoagu a ǁkhaubasen ǁoa. 59 Mâ xū-i hoa-i ge ǂhumi-elo-i ǃgâ-ai a ǃgâi, ǁkhoaǂgaoxa gao-aoba xu tsoatsoa tsî sîsenūhe ǁkhā sūs kōse. Oms di dao-ams tsîn ge ǁîs ra oms ǃnâ hâ xūna sâu xui-ao, ǂhumi elo-i ǃgâ-ai a ǃgâi. ǃNaoǂkhâǃnâb gao-ommi dib tsîn ge ǂhumi elo-i ǃgâ-ai a ǃgâi. 60 Elob ge sores, ǁkhâb tsî ǀgamirodi tsîna ǃnâban nî māse ge kuru tsîn ge ǁîna ǁîba ra ǁnâuǀnam. 61 ǁNās ǁkhās ge napab tsî ǂoab tsîn ǃaroma a ama. Napab ge napab ka, o ǃnūse a mûhe ǁkhā tsî ǂoab ge mâ ǃkhai-i hoa-i ai ra ǃgom. 62 Elob ga ǃâude hoaraga ǃhūbaib ai di nî khoraǂuisensa mîmā, o di ge ra ǁnâuǀnam. 63 Tsîb ga Eloba ǀaesa ǀhomma xu ǃhomgu tsî haiǀgomde nî ǂhubiǂuise sîǁnâ, os ge mîbahes go khami ra dī. ǁGôa-elon ge nē xūna a dī ǁoa. Sadu ge ǁgôa-elona nē hoaraga xūn di ǁkhāsigu ǀkha a ǀgopeǀnō ǁoa. 64 ǁNā-amaga i ge ǀgui khoe-i tsîna ǁgôa-elon a elo ǃkhaisa ǂgom tsî ǁîna elon ti ǂgai tide. ǁÎn ge khoe-e ǀgoraǃgâs tamas ka io ǁî-e ǃgâi-e dībasa a ǁoa. 65 Sadu ge ǁîn elo tama ǃkhaisa a ǂan, xuige tā ǁîna ǀgoreǀî.
66 Nē elon ge ǀgai-e gao-aogu ǂama ūhâ tama hâ. ǁÎn ge ǀâxareb tamas ka io ǀkhaeba gao-aogu ai gowaǂui ǁoa. 67 ǁÎn ge ǀhommi ai saode, ǁaede nî ǂgaeǂguise a mā ǁoa; ǁîn ge sores tamas ka io ǁkhâb khami a ǃnâ ǁoa. 68 ǀGurun tsî xamarin tsîn ge nē ǁgôa-elon ǃgâ-ai a ǃgâi, ǁîn ra ǁî-aitsaman nî ǁkhaubasenga ǃaorosasiga xu ǃkhoenibasen amaga. 69 Sadu ge ǁîn elo tama ǃkhaisa a ǂan, xuige tā ǁîna ǀgoreǀî.
70 Nē elon, hîa haina xu kuruhe tsî ǀhaiǀurib tsî ǃhuniǀurib ǀkha ǃkhûǀkhāhe hân ge ǀhomanina ǃhuriǃhuris ǃaroma tôaǃhanab ǃnâ mâihe ǃaoǃaoxūn ǁkhān khami i, ǁîn ge xū-e ǁkhauba tama hâ. 71 ǁÎn ge ǁkhūhais ǃhanab ǃnâ mâs xase ī. ǀHomanina ūbēs ǃās ǃnân ge ǁîna ǂnûǃkhaise ǁîna iba. Nē elon ge ǁō hâ soro-i hîa tsuxuba ra aoǂuihe-i khami a ui-uisa. 72 ǂHoaǀapa lapigu ǀkha kuruhe hâ saran ǁîn ana hân ge ra ǀoro, ǁnāpa xu da ge ǁîn elo tama ǃkhaisa a ǂan. ǀAms ai gu koms xa hapuhe tsî ǀgoreǀî-aona xū-i xare-e ǃaruǀî harebeba tide.
73 ǂHanu-ai khoen, ǁgôa-elona ūhâ taman ge naun xa ama-ai, ǁîn tātsē taotaohe tide amaga.
1 This is a copy of the letter sent by Jeremiah to the people of Jerusalem just before they were captured by the Babylonian king and taken to Babylon. It contains the message that God had commanded Jeremiah to give them.
The People Face a Long Captivity
2 You have sinned against God. That is why you are about to be taken away as prisoners to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. 3 You will remain there in exile for many years, as long as seven generations; then God will lead you peacefully home from Babylon.
4 There in Babylon you will see gods made of wood, silver, and gold—gods which people carry on their shoulders and which fill the heathen with fear. 5 You must be careful never to imitate those Gentiles. Don't let their gods fill you with fear when you see them being carried in procession and being worshiped. 6 Instead, say to yourselves, “It is you alone, Lord, that we must worship.” 7 God's angel will be there with you; he will take care of you.
The Helplessness of Idols
8 Their idols are plated with silver and gold and have tongues that were carved by woodworkers. But they are not real gods, and they cannot speak. 9 The people make gold crowns and put them on the heads of their gods, as if these idols were girls who love jewelry. 10 Sometimes the priests steal the silver and gold from their gods and spend it on themselves; 11 they even give some of it to the temple prostitutes. People take these gods of wood, silver, and gold, and put clothes on them, as if they were human. 12 But even though the gods are dressed in purple robes like kings, they still cannot keep themselves from being tarnished or protect themselves from termites. 13 When dust from the temple settles on their faces, someone has to wipe it off for them. 14 Like human judges they hold scepters in their hands, but they have no power to punish anyone who wrongs them. 15 Sometimes they have daggers and axes in their hands, but they cannot protect themselves from being destroyed in war or from being carried off by thieves. 16 All of this proves that they are not gods—do not worship them.
17 Those gods sitting in their temples are as useless as a broken bowl. Their eyes are filled with the dust that people kick up when they come in. 18 The priests fortify the temples with doors and bars and bolts, so that thieves cannot break in. The gods are locked up as securely as a prisoner about to be executed for a crime against the king. 19 The priests light lamps for the gods, far more than they need for their own use, but the idols can't see even one of them. 20 Their insides are eaten away by termites, just like the wooden beams of the temple, and their clothing is destroyed, but they don't even know it. 21 Their faces are blackened by the smoke in the temple. 22 Bats, swallows, and other birds perch on them, and even cats sit on them. 23 All of this proves that they are not gods—do not worship them.
24 These idols have been plated with gold to make them beautiful, but they do not shine unless someone polishes them. When they were being poured into molds, they felt nothing. 25 It makes no difference how high a price is paid for them; they are still unable to breathe. 26 See how useless they are! They can't walk on their own feet, but must be carried around. 27 Even those who take care of them are embarrassed when one of their gods falls to the ground and has to be picked up again. When someone stands one of them in a certain place, it cannot move, and if it is leaning over, it can never straighten itself up. Offering gifts to them is like giving gifts to a corpse. 28 Priests sell what is sacrificed to their gods and use the money on themselves. And the wives of the priests preserve the sacrifices with salt for later use, instead of sharing them with the poor and helpless. 29 Even women who are having their monthly period or women who have just given birth are allowed to touch the sacrifices. All of this proves that they are not gods—do not worship them.
30 How can they ever be called gods, when women are allowed to make offerings to these things made of wood, silver, and gold? 31 The priests even sit in the temples when they are in mourning, with torn clothes and shaved, uncovered heads. 32 The priests roar and shout in the presence of their gods as if they were taking part in a funeral feast. 33 They take the clothing off their gods and give it to their wives and children. 34 It doesn't matter whether a person helps or harms these gods, since they cannot pay him back. They are not able to make anyone a king or to dethrone him, 35 and they cannot make a person wealthy or give him any money. If someone makes a vow to them but does not keep it, they will never make him pay. 36 They can never rescue a person from death, and they never help a weak person against one who is strong. 37 They cannot restore sight to the blind or save anyone in distress. 38 They cannot offer any mercy or give help to widows or orphans. 39 These things made of wood and covered with silver and gold are as powerless as stone taken from the mountains; and the people who worship them will be put to shame. 40 How can anyone think that they are gods or call them gods?
The Foolishness of Worshiping Idols
The Babylonians bring dishonor on their own gods. 41 When someone cannot speak, they take him to the temple and ask Bel to give him the power of speech, as if Bel could understand anything. 42 But even when the people realize that their gods cannot help, they are stupid enough to go on worshiping them. 43 Not only that, but women wrap cords around themselves and sit alongside the road burning incense and offering themselves as prostitutes. When one of them is taken off for sex, she returns to ridicule the woman next to her who was not beautiful enough to be chosen. 44 Everything about these idols is false. How can anyone think that they are gods or call them gods?
45 Woodworkers and goldsmiths make these gods, so they can never be anything other than what these people want them to be. 46 Even their makers do not live long lives, so how are they able to create gods? 47 These people leave nothing but deceit and disgrace as an inheritance for future generations. 48 When wars and disturbances come, the priests plan where they can go into hiding with their gods. 49 These idols are helpless in the face of wars and disturbances. Why can't people realize that these idols are not gods?
50 These idols are nothing more than wood covered with silver and gold; one day it will be clear that they are really not gods at all. 51 All nations and kings will realize that idols are nothing more than the work of human hands. They do not have the power of a god, 52 and anyone should know that they are not really gods.
53 These gods can never make anyone a king or bring rain. 54 They can't make decisions about their own affairs or give justice to someone who has been wronged; they can do absolutely nothing. They are as useless as crows flying around in the air. 55 When a temple catches on fire, the priests run away to save themselves, while the gods made of wood and covered with silver and gold are left to burn like wooden beams. 56 They can't fight kings or go to war against enemies. How can anyone believe that they are gods?
57 These gods of wood, covered with silver and gold, cannot protect themselves from thieves and robbers 58 who take off the silver and gold and the gods' clothing and walk away with all of it. The gods can do nothing to stop them. 59 Anything from a courageous king to a useful piece of pottery is better than a false god. Even a door is better than a false god; a door at least protects the things in the house. Even a wooden pillar in a palace is better than a false god.
60 God provided the sun, the moon, and the stars to give light, and they obey him. 61 The same is true of lightning and wind. The lightning can be seen far and wide, and the wind blows everywhere. 62 When God commands clouds to spread out over the whole world, they obey. 63 When God sends down fire from heaven to burn up mountains and forests, it does what it is told. Idols cannot do these things—they can't even do a good imitation. 64 Why should they be called gods, when they are not able to help us or harm us in any way? 65 You know that they are not gods—do not worship them.
66 These gods have no power over kings; they cannot pronounce curses on them or grant them blessings. 67 They cannot produce for the nations any signs in the sky; they cannot shine like the sun or the moon. 68 Even wild animals are better off than these idols; animals can at least run from danger to protect themselves. 69 So it is absolutely clear that they are not gods—do not worship them.
70 These gods of theirs, made of wood and covered with silver and gold, are about as helpful as a scarecrow in a cucumber patch; they are no protection at all. 71 They do as much good as a thorn bush in a garden; instead of keeping birds away, they provide a perch for them. These gods are like a dead body thrown out into the darkness. 72 The purple linen robes they wear rot away, so we know that they are not gods. Finally they will be eaten by termites, and then no one anywhere will have any use for them.
73 The righteous person has an advantage over others; he does not own any idols, and they can never make a fool of him.
