18 They know nothing, they understand nothing;

their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see,

and their minds closed so they cannot understand.

19 No one stops to think,

no one has the knowledge or understanding to say,

“Half of it I used for fuel;

I even baked bread over its coals,

I roasted meat and I ate.

Shall I make a detestable thing from what is left?

Shall I bow down to a block of wood?”

20 Such a person feeds on ashes; a deluded heart misleads him;

he cannot save himself, or say,

“Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?”

18 They have not known nor understood:

For he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see;

And their hearts, that they cannot understand.

19 And none considereth in his heart,

Neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say,

I have burned part of it in the fire;

Yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof;

I have roasted flesh, and eaten it:

And shall I make the residue thereof an abomination?

Shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?

20 He feedeth on ashes:

A deceived heart hath turned him aside,

That he cannot deliver his soul, nor say,

Is there not a lie in my right hand?

18 Such stupidity and ignorance!

Their eyes are closed, and they cannot see.

Their minds are shut, and they cannot think.

19 The person who made the idol never stops to reflect,

“Why, it’s just a block of wood!

I burned half of it for heat

and used it to bake my bread and roast my meat.

How can the rest of it be a god?

Should I bow down to worship a piece of wood?”

20 The poor, deluded fool feeds on ashes.

He trusts something that can’t help him at all.

Yet he cannot bring himself to ask,

“Is this idol that I’m holding in my hand a lie?”

18 They do not know nor understand;

For He has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see,

And their hearts, so that they cannot understand.

19 And no one considers in his heart,

Nor is there knowledge nor understanding to say,

“I have burned half of it in the fire,

Yes, I have also baked bread on its coals;

I have roasted meat and eaten it;

And shall I make the rest of it an abomination?

Shall I fall down before a block of wood?”

20 He feeds on ashes;

A deceived heart has turned him aside;

And he cannot deliver his soul,

Nor say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?”

18 Those people don’t know what they are doing. They don’t understand!

It is as if their eyes are covered so they can’t see.

Their minds don’t understand.

19 They have not thought about these things;

they don’t understand.

They have never thought to themselves,

“I burned half of the wood in the fire

and used the hot coals to bake my bread.

I cooked and ate my meat.

And I used the wood that was left to make this hateful thing.

I am worshiping a block of wood!”

20 He doesn’t know what he is doing;

his confused mind leads him the wrong way.

He cannot save himself

or say, “This statue I am holding is a false god.”

18 They know not, neither do they consider: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand. 19 And none calleth to mind, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree? 20 He feedeth on ashes; a deceived heart hath turned him aside; and he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?

18 They have no knowledge, and understand not; for he hath plastered their eyes, that they may not see; and their hearts, that they may not understand. 19 And none taketh it to heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire, and have also baked bread upon the coals thereof, I have roasted flesh, and eaten it, and with the rest thereof shall I make an abomination? shall I bow down to a block of wood? 20 He feedeth on ashes; a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?

18 They don’t know or understand anything. Their eyes are plastered shut, so they can’t see. And their minds are closed, so they can’t understand. 19 No one stops to think. No one has enough knowledge or understanding to say, “I burned half of the wood in the fire. I also baked bread over its coals. I roasted meat and ate it. Now I am making the rest of the wood into a disgusting thing and bowing to a block of wood.” 20 They eat ashes because they are deceived. Their own misguided minds lead them astray. They can’t rescue themselves or ask themselves, “Isn’t what I hold in my right hand a false god?” 

18 Such people do not comprehend

and cannot understand,

for He has shut their eyes so they cannot see,

and their minds so they cannot understand.

19 No one reflects,

no one has the perception or insight to say,

“I burned half of it in the fire,

I also baked bread on its coals,

I roasted meat and ate.

I will make something detestable with the rest of it,

and I will bow down to a block of wood.”

20 He feeds on ashes.

His deceived mind has led him astray,

and he cannot deliver himself,

or say, “Isn’t there a lie in my right hand?”

18 They do not know, nor do they comprehend; for their eyes are shut, so that they cannot see, and their minds as well, so that they cannot understand. 19 No one considers, nor is there knowledge or discernment to say, “Half of it I burned in the fire; I also baked bread on its coals, I roasted meat and have eaten. Now shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?” 20 He feeds on ashes; a deluded mind has led him astray, and he cannot save himself or say, “Is not this thing in my right hand a fraud?”

18 They do not know,

and they do not understand,

for their eyes are besmeared so that they cannot see,

their minds so that they have no insight.

19 And no one takes it to heart, and there is no knowledge

and no understanding to say, “I burned half of it in the fire

and also I baked bread on its coals;

I roasted meat, and I have eaten.

And I shall make the rest of it into an abomination!

I shall bow down to a block of wood!”

20 He feeds on ashes; a deceived mind misleads him.

And he cannot save himself, and he cannot say,

“Is this not an illusion in my right hand?”

18 People like that don’t even know what they are doing.

Their eyes are shut so that they can’t see the truth.

Their minds are closed so that they can’t understand it.

19 No one even stops to think about this.

No one has any sense or understanding.

If anyone did, he would say,

“I used half of the wood for fuel.

I even baked bread over the fire.

I cooked meat. Then I ate it.

Should I now make a statue of a god

out of the wood that’s left over?

Should I bow down to a block of wood?

The Lord would hate that.”

20 That’s as foolish as eating ashes!

The mind of someone like that

has led him down the wrong path.

He can’t save himself.

He can’t bring himself to say,

“This thing I’m holding in my right hand

isn’t really a god at all.”

18 They do not know, nor do they understand, for He has smeared over their eyes so that they cannot see and their hearts so that they cannot comprehend.

19 No one recalls, nor is there knowledge or understanding to say, “I have burned half of it in the fire and also have baked bread over its coals. I roast meat and eat it. Then I make the rest of it into an abomination, I fall down before a block of wood!”

20 He feeds on ashes; a deceived heart has turned him aside. And he cannot deliver himself, nor say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?”