1 Bel bows down, Nebo stoops low;

their idols are borne by beasts of burden.

The images that are carried about are burdensome,

a burden for the weary.

2 They stoop and bow down together;

unable to rescue the burden,

they themselves go off into captivity.

3 “Listen to me, you descendants of Jacob,

all the remnant of the people of Israel,

you whom I have upheld since your birth,

and have carried since you were born.

4 Even to your old age and gray hairs

I am he, I am he who will sustain you.

I have made you and I will carry you;

I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

1 Bel bows down; Nebo stoops;

their idols are on beasts and livestock;

these things you carry are borne

as burdens on weary beasts.

2 They stoop; they bow down together;

they cannot save the burden,

but themselves go into captivity.

3 “Listen to me, O house of Jacob,

all the remnant of the house of Israel,

who have been borne by me from before your birth,

carried from the womb;

4 even to your old age I am he,

and to gray hairs I will carry you.

I have made, and I will bear;

I will carry and will save.

1 Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth,

Their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle:

Your carriages were heavy loaden;

They are a burden to the weary beast.

2 They stoop, they bow down together;

They could not deliver the burden,

But themselves are gone into captivity.

3 Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob,

And all the remnant of the house of Israel,

Which are borne by me from the belly,

Which are carried from the womb:

4 And even to your old age I am he;

And even to hoar hairs will I carry you:

I have made, and I will bear;

Even I will carry, and will deliver you.

1 Bel and Nebo, the gods of Babylon,

bow as they are lowered to the ground.

They are being hauled away on ox carts.

The poor beasts stagger under the weight.

2 Both the idols and their owners are bowed down.

The gods cannot protect the people,

and the people cannot protect the gods.

They go off into captivity together.

3 “Listen to me, descendants of Jacob,

all you who remain in Israel.

I have cared for you since you were born.

Yes, I carried you before you were born.

4 I will be your God throughout your lifetime—

until your hair is white with age.

I made you, and I will care for you.

I will carry you along and save you.

1 Bel bows down, Nebo stoops;

Their idols were on the beasts and on the cattle.

Your carriages were heavily loaded,

A burden to the weary beast.

2 They stoop, they bow down together;

They could not deliver the burden,

But have themselves gone into captivity.

3 “Listen to Me, O house of Jacob,

And all the remnant of the house of Israel,

Who have been upheld by Me from birth,

Who have been carried from the womb:

4 Even to your old age, I am He,

And even to gray hairs I will carry you!

I have made, and I will bear;

Even I will carry, and will deliver you.

1 Bel and Nebo bow down.

Their idols are carried by animals.

The statues are only heavy loads that must be carried;

they only make people tired.

2 These gods will all bow down.

They cannot save themselves

but will all be carried away like prisoners.

3 “Family of Jacob, listen to me!

All you people from Israel who are still alive, listen!

I have carried you since you were born;

I have taken care of you from your birth.

4 Even when you are old, I will be the same.

Even when your hair has turned gray, I will take care of you.

I made you and will take care of you.

I will carry you and save you.

1 Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth; their idols are upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: the things that ye carried about are made a load, a burden to the weary beast. 2 They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but themselves are gone into captivity.

3 Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, that have been borne by me from their birth, that have been carried from the womb; 4 and even to old age I am he, and even to hoar hairs will I carry you; I have made, and I will bear; yea, I will carry, and will deliver.

1 Bel is bowed down, Nebo bendeth; their idols are upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: the things ye carried are laid on, a burden to the weary beast. 2 They bend, they are bowed down together; they could not deliver the burden, and themselves are gone into captivity. 3 Hearken unto me, house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, ye who have been borne from the belly, who have been carried from the womb: 4 Even to old age, I am HE, and unto hoary hairs I will carry you: It is I that have made, and I will bear, and I will carry, and will deliver.

1 The god Bel bows down; the god Nebo stoops low. 

Their statues are seated on animals and cattle. 

The gods that you carry are burdens, a load for weary people. 

2 These gods stoop low and bow down together. 

They aren’t able to escape with heavy loads. 

They go away into captivity. 

3 Listen to me, descendants of Jacob, 

the few people left of the nation of Israel. 

I’ve carried you since your birth. 

I’ve taken care of you from the time you were born. 

4 Even when you’re old, I’ll take care of you. 

Even when your hair turns gray, I’ll support you. 

I made you and will continue to care for you. 

I’ll support you and save you. 

1 Bel crouches; Nebo cowers.

Their idols are consigned to beasts and cattle.

The images you carry are loaded,

as a burden for the weary animal.

2 The gods cower; they crouch together;

they are not able to rescue the burden,

but they themselves go into captivity.

3 “Listen to Me, house of Jacob,

all the remnant of the house of Israel,

who have been sustained from the womb,

carried along since birth.

4 I will be the same until your old age,

and I will bear you up when you turn gray.

I have made you, and I will carry you;

I will bear and save you.

1 Bel bows down, Nebo stoops,

their idols are on beasts and cattle;

these things you carry are loaded

as burdens on weary animals.

2 They stoop, they bow down together;

they cannot save the burden,

but themselves go into captivity.

3 Listen to me, O house of Jacob,

all the remnant of the house of Israel,

who have been borne by me from your birth,

carried from the womb;

4 even to your old age I am he,

even when you turn gray I will carry you.

I have made, and I will bear;

I will carry and will save.

1 Bel bows down;

Nebo is stooping.

Their idols are on animals and on cattle;

your cargo is carried as a burden on weary animals.

2 They stoop;

they bow down together.

They are not able to save the burden,

but they themselves go in captivity.

3 “Listen to me, house of Jacob,

and all the remnant of the house of Israel

who have been carried from the belly,

who have been carried from the womb:

4 Even to your old age I am he;

even to your advanced age I myself will support you.

I myself have made you,

and I myself will carry you,

and I myself will support you,

and I will save you.

1 The gods Bel and Nebo are brought down in shame.

The statues of them are being carried away on the backs of animals.

They used to be carried around by the people who worshiped them.

But now they’ve become a heavy load for tired animals.

2 Bel and Nebo are brought down in shame together.

They aren’t able to save their own statues.

They themselves are carried off as prisoners.

3 The Lord says, “Family of Jacob, listen to me.

Pay attention, you people of Israel who are left alive.

I have taken good care of you since your life began.

I have carried you since you were born as a nation.

4 I will continue to carry you even when you are old.

I will take good care of you even when your hair is gray.

I have made you. And I will carry you.

I will take care of you. And I will save you.

I am the Lord.