Baruch 6

VI.

A copy of an epistle, which Jeremie sent unto them which were to be led captives into Babylon by the king of the Babylonians, to certify them, as it was commanded him of God.

Because of the sins which ye have committed before God, ^aye shall be led away captives into Babylon by Nabuchodonosor king of the Babylonians. So when ye be come unto Babylon, ye shall remain there many years, and for a long season, namely, ^bseven generations: and after that I will bring you away peaceably from thence. Now shall ye see in Babylon ^cgods of silver, and of gold, and of wood, ^dborne upon shoulders, ^owhich cause the nations to fear. Beware therefore that ye in no wise be like to strangers, ^oneither be ye afraid of them, when ye see the multitude before them and behind them, worshipping them. But say ye in your hearts, O ^eLord, we must worship thee. For ^fmine angel is with you, and I myself caring for your souls. As for their tongue, it is polished by the workman, and they themselves are ^ggilded and laid over with silver; yet are they but false, and ^hcannot speak. And taking gold, as it were for a virgin that loves to go gay, they make crowns for the heads of their gods. Sometimes also the priests convey from their gods gold and silver, and bestow it upon themselves. Yea, they will give thereof to the common harlots, and ⁱdeck them as men with garments, being ^cgods of silver, and gods of gold, and wood. Yet cannot these gods save themselves from ^jrust and moths, though they be covered with ^ikpurple raiment. They wipe their faces ^lbecause of the dust of the temple, when there is much upon them. And he that cannot put to death one that offendeth him holdeth a sceptre, as though he were a judge of the country. He hath also in his right hand a dagger and an axe: but cannot deliver himself from war and ^mthieves. ⁿWhereby they are known not to be gods: ^notherefore fear them not.

¹⁷For like as a vessel that a man useth is nothing worth when it is broken; even so it is with their gods: when they be set up in the temple, their eyes be ^lfull of dust through the feet of them that come in. ¹⁸And as ^pthe doors are made sure on every side upon him that offendeth the king, as being ^qcommitted to suffer death: even so the priests make fast their temples with doors, with locks, and bars, lest their gods be spoiled with ^mrobbers. ¹⁹They light them candles, yea, more than for themselves, whereof they cannot see one. ²⁰They are ^qqas one of the beams of the temple, yet they say their hearts are gnawed upon by things creeping out of the earth; and when they eat them and their clothes, they feel it not. ²¹Their faces are blacked through the smoke that comes out of the temple. ²²Upon their bodies and heads sit bats, swallows, and birds, and the cats also. ²³ⁿBy this you may know that they are no gods: ^notherefore fear them not.

²⁴Notwithstanding the gold that is about them to make them beautiful, except they ^rwipe off the ^jrust, they will not shine: for neither when they were molten did they feel it. ²⁵The things wherein there is no breath are bought for a most high price. ^26dsThey are borne upon shoulders, having no feet, whereby they declare unto men that they be nothing worth. ²⁷They also that serve them are ashamed: ^stfor if they fall to the ground at any time, they cannot rise up again of themselves: neither, if one set them upright, can they move of themselves: neither, ^uif they be bowed down, can they make themselves straight: but they ^vset gifts before them, ^was unto dead men. ²⁸As for the things that are sacrificed unto them, ^xtheir priests sell and ^yabuse; ^zin like manner their wives lay up part thereof in salt; but unto the poor and impotent they give nothing of it. ²⁹Menstruous women and ^awomen in childbed eat their sacrifices: ^aaby these things ye may know that they are no gods: ^aafear them not.

³⁰For how can they be called gods? because women ^bset meat before ^cthe gods of silver, gold, and wood. ³¹And the priests sit in their temples, ^dhaving their clothes rent, and ^etheir heads and beards shaven, and nothing upon their heads.

^32fThey roar and cry before their gods, as men do ^gat the feast when one is dead. ³³The priests also ^htake off their garments, and clothe their wives and children. ³⁴Whether it be evil that one doeth unto them, or good, they are not able to recompense it: they can neither ^hhset up a king, nor put him down. ³⁵In like manner, they can neither give riches nor ⁱmoney: ^jthough a man make a vow unto them, and keep it not, they will not require it. ³⁶They can save no man from death, neither deliver the weak from the mighty. ³⁷They cannot restore a blind man to his sight, nor help any man in his distress. ³⁸They can shew no mercy to the widow, nor do good to the fatherless. ^39cTheir gods of wood, and which are ^koverlaid with gold and silver, are like the stones that be hewn out of the mountain: ^lthey that worship them shall be confounded. ^40mHow should a man then think and say that they are gods?

When even the Chaldeans themselves dishonour them. ⁴¹ⁿWho if they shall see one dumb that cannot speak, they bring him, and intreat ^oBel that he may speak, as though he were able to understand. ⁴²Yet they cannot understand this themselves, and leave them: for they have no knowledge. ^43pThe women also with cords about them, sitting in the ways, burn ^qbran for perfume: but if any of them, drawn by some that passeth by, lie with him, she reproacheth her fellow, that she was not thought as worthy as herself, nor her cord broken. ⁴⁴Whatsoever is done among them is false: ^mhow may it then be thought or said that they are gods?

^45rThey are made of carpenters and goldsmiths: they can be nothing else than the workmen will have them to be. ⁴⁶And they themselves that made them can never continue long; how should then the things that are made of them be gods? ⁴⁷For they left lies and reproaches to them that come after. ⁴⁸For when there cometh any war or plague upon them, the priests consult with themselves, where they may be hidden with them. ^49mHow then cannot men perceive that they be no gods, which can neither save themselves from war, nor from plague? ⁵⁰For seeing they be but ^sof wood, and ^toverlaid with silver and gold, it shall be known hereafter that they are false: ⁵¹and it shall manifestly appear to all nations and kings that they are no gods, but ^uthe works of men’s hands, and that there is no work of God in them. ^52mWho then may not know that they are no gods?

⁵³For neither can they ^vset up a king in the land, nor ^wgive rain unto men. ⁵⁴Neither ^xcan they judge their own cause, nor ^yredress a wrong, being unable: for they are as crows between heaven and earth. ⁵⁵Whereupon when fire falleth upon the house of ^sgods of wood, or ^tlaid over with gold or silver, their priests will flee away, and escape; but they themselves shall be burnt asunder ^zlike beams. ⁵⁶Moreover ^athey cannot withstand any king or enemies: ^bhow can it then be thought or said that they be gods?

⁵⁷Neither are those ^cgods of wood, and ^dlaid over with silver or gold, able to escape either from thieves or ^erobbers. ⁵⁸Whose gold, and silver, and garments wherewith they are clothed, they that are strong do take, and go away withal: ^aneither are they able to help themselves. ⁵⁹Therefore it is better to be a king that sheweth his power, or else ^fa profitable vessel in a house, which the owner shall have use of, than such false gods; or to be a door in a house, to keep such things safe as be therein, than such false gods; or a pillar of wood in a palace, than such false gods. ⁶⁰For ^msun, moon, and stars, being bright, and sent to do their offices, are obedient. ⁶¹In like manner the lightning when it breaketh forth is easy to be seen; and ^gafter the same manner the wind bloweth in every country. ⁶²And when God commandeth the clouds to go over the whole ^hworld, they do as they are bidden. ⁶³And ^gthe fire sent from above to consume hills and woods doeth as it is commanded: but these are like unto them neither in shew nor power. ⁶⁴Wherefore ⁱit is neither to be supposed nor said that they are gods, seeing they are able neither ^jto judge causes, nor ^kto do good unto men. ^65lKnowing therefore that they are no gods, ^lfear them not.

⁶⁶For they can neither curse nor bless kings: ⁶⁷neither can they shew signs in the heavens among the heathen, ^mnor shine as the sun, nor give light as the moon. ⁶⁸The beasts are better than they: for they can get under a covert, and help themselves. ^69lIt is then by no means manifest unto us that they are gods: ^ltherefore fear them not. ⁷⁰For as a scarecrow in ⁿa garden of cucumbers keepeth nothing: so are their ^cgods of wood, and ^dlaid over with silver and gold. ⁷¹And likewise their ^cgods of wood, and ^dlaid over with silver and gold, are like to a white thorn in an orchard, that every bird sitteth upon; as also to ^oa dead body, that is cast into the dark. ⁷²And ^lyou shall know them to be no gods by the bright purple that rotteth upon them: and ^qthey themselves afterward shall be eaten, and shall be a reproach in the country. ⁷³Better therefore is the just man that hath none idols: for he shall be far from reproach.