Jeremiah 10:3–10

³The religion of the people is worthless. 

Woodcutters cut down trees from the forest. 

The hands of craftsmen prepare them with axes. 

⁴Craftsmen decorate them with silver and gold 

and fasten them ⸤together⸥ with hammers and nails 

so that they won’t fall over. 

⁵These trees are like scarecrows in cucumber gardens. 

They aren’t able to speak. 

They have to be carried, because they can’t walk. 

Don’t be afraid of them. 

They can’t harm you. 

They can’t do you any good either. 

⁶No one is like you, O Lord. 

You are great. 

Your name is powerful. 

⁷Everyone fears you, O King of the Nations. 

This is what you deserve. 

No one is like you among all the wise people in the nations 

or in all their kingdoms. 

⁸They are complete idiots. 

They learn nonsense from wooden idols. 

⁹Hammered silver is brought from Tarshish and gold from Uphaz. 

Craftsmen and goldsmiths shape these metals. 

The clothing for the idols is blue and purple, 

all made by skilled workers. 

¹⁰But the Lord is the only God. 

He is the living God and eternal king. 

The earth trembles when he is angry. 

The nations can’t endure his fury.