Isaiah 10:13–15

13 For he says:

“ ‘By the strength of my hand I have done this,

and by my wisdom, because I have understanding.

I removed the boundaries of nations,

I plundered their treasures;

like a mighty one I subdued their kings.

14 As one reaches into a nest,

so my hand reached for the wealth of the nations;

as people gather abandoned eggs,

so I gathered all the countries;

not one flapped a wing,

or opened its mouth to chirp.’ ”

15 Does the ax raise itself above the person who swings it,

or the saw boast against the one who uses it?

As if a rod were to wield the person who lifts it up,

or a club brandish the one who is not wood!

13 For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done it,

And by my wisdom; for I am prudent:

And I have removed the bounds of the people,

And have robbed their treasures,

And I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man:

14 And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people:

And as one gathereth eggs that are left,

Have I gathered all the earth;

And there was none that moved the wing,

Or opened the mouth, or peeped.

15 Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith?

Or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it?

As if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up,

Or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood.

13 He boasts,

“By my own powerful arm I have done this.

With my own shrewd wisdom I planned it.

I have broken down the defenses of nations

and carried off their treasures.

I have knocked down their kings like a bull.

14 I have robbed their nests of riches

and gathered up kingdoms as a farmer gathers eggs.

No one can even flap a wing against me

or utter a peep of protest.”

15 But can the ax boast greater power than the person who uses it?

Is the saw greater than the person who saws?

Can a rod strike unless a hand moves it?

Can a wooden cane walk by itself?

13 For he says:

“By the strength of my hand I have done it,

And by my wisdom, for I am prudent;

Also I have removed the boundaries of the people,

And have robbed their treasuries;

So I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man.

14 My hand has found like a nest the riches of the people,

And as one gathers eggs that are left,

I have gathered all the earth;

And there was no one who moved his wing,

Nor opened his mouth with even a peep.”

15 Shall the ax boast itself against him who chops with it?

Or shall the saw exalt itself against him who saws with it?

As if a rod could wield itself against those who lift it up,

Or as if a staff could lift up, as if it were not wood!

13 The king of Assyria says this:

“By my own power I have done these things;

by my wisdom I have defeated many nations.

I have taken their wealth,

and, like a mighty one, I have taken their people.

14 I have taken the riches of all these people,

like a person reaching into a bird’s nest.

I have taken these nations,

like a person taking eggs.

Not one raised a hand

or opened its mouth to stop me.”

15 An ax is not better than the person who swings it.

A saw is not better than the one who uses it.

A stick cannot control the person who picks it up.

A club cannot pick up the person!

13 For he hath said, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I have understanding: and I have removed the bounds of the peoples, and have robbed their treasures, and like a valiant man I have brought down them that sit on thrones: 14 and my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the peoples; and as one gathereth eggs that are forsaken, have I gathered all the earth: and there was none that moved the wing, or that opened the mouth, or chirped.

15 Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? shall the saw magnify itself against him that wieldeth it? as if a rod should wield them that lift it up, or as if a staff should lift up him that is not wood.

13 For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom, for I am intelligent; and I have removed the bounds of the peoples, and have robbed their treasures, and, like a valiant man, I have brought down them that sit on thrones; 14 and my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the peoples, and as one gathereth forsaken eggs, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or chirped. 15 —Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? shall the saw magnify itself against him that wieldeth it? As if the rod should wield them that lift it up; as if the staff should lift up him who is not wood!

13 The king will say, 

“I did this with my own two powerful hands. 

I did this with my wisdom, because I am so clever. 

I’ve eliminated the boundaries of nations. 

I’ve looted treasuries. 

I’ve brought down people like a mighty man. 

14 I’ve found the riches of nations as one finds a nest. 

I’ve gathered the whole world as one gathers abandoned eggs. 

Not one of them flapped a wing, opened its mouth, or peeped.” 

15 Can an ax attack the person who cuts with it? 

Can a saw make itself greater than the person who saws with it? 

A rod cannot move the person who lifts it. 

A wooden stick cannot pick up a person. 

13 For he said:

I have done this by my own strength

and wisdom, for I am clever.

I abolished the borders of nations

and plundered their treasures;

like a mighty warrior, I subjugated the inhabitants.

14 My hand has reached out, as if into a nest,

to seize the wealth of the nations.

Like one gathering abandoned eggs,

I gathered the whole earth.

No wing fluttered;

no beak opened or chirped.

15 Does an ax exalt itself

above the one who chops with it?

Does a saw magnify itself

above the one who saws with it?

It would be like a staff waving the one who lifts it!

It would be like a rod lifting a man who isn’t wood!

13 For he says:

“By the strength of my hand I have done it,

and by my wisdom, for I have understanding;

I have removed the boundaries of peoples

and have plundered their treasures;

like a bull I have brought down those who sat on thrones.

14 My hand has found, like a nest,

the wealth of the peoples,

and as one gathers eggs that have been forsaken,

so I have gathered all the earth,

and there was none that moved a wing

or opened its mouth or chirped.”

15 Shall the ax vaunt itself over the one who wields it

or the saw magnify itself against the one who handles it?

As if a rod should raise the one who lifts it up,

or as if a staff should lift the one who is not wood!

13 For he says,

“I have done it by the strength of my hand

and by my wisdom, for I have understanding,

and I have removed the boundaries of peoples,

and I have plundered their stores,

and like a bull I have brought down the inhabitants.

14 And my hand has found, like a nest, the wealth of the peoples,

and like the gathering of forsaken eggs, I myself have gathered all the earth.

And there was no fluttering wing or open mouth or chirp.”

15 Does the ax boast against the one who cuts with it,

or the saw magnify itself against the one who moves it to and fro?

As if a rod should move the one who lifts it!

As if a staff should lift up that which is not wood!

13 “The king of Assyria says,

“ ‘I have used my powerful hand

to take over all of those nations.

I am very wise.

I have great understanding.

I have wiped out the borders between nations.

I’ve taken their treasures.

Like a great hero I’ve brought their kings under my control.

14 I’ve taken the wealth of the nations.

It was as easy as reaching into a bird’s nest.

I’ve gathered the riches of all of those countries.

It was as easy as gathering eggs

that have been left in a nest.

Not a single baby bird flapped its wings.

Not one of them opened its mouth to chirp.’ ”

15 Does an ax claim to be more important

than the one who swings it?

Does a saw brag that it is better

than the one who uses it?

That would be like a stick

swinging someone who picks it up!

It would be like a war club

waving the one who carries it!

13 For he has said,

“By the power of my hand and by my wisdom I did this,

For I have understanding;

And I removed the boundaries of the peoples

And plundered their treasures,

And like a mighty man I brought down their inhabitants,

14 And my hand reached to the riches of the peoples like a nest,

And as one gathers abandoned eggs, I gathered all the earth;

And there was not one that flapped its wing or opened its beak or chirped.”

15 Is the axe to boast itself over the one who chops with it?

Is the saw to exalt itself over the one who wields it?

That would be like a club wielding those who lift it,

Or like a rod lifting him who is not wood.