9 Woe to the one who strives with his ⌊maker⌋,g

a potsherd amongh potsherds of earth!

Does the clay say to the one who fashions it,

‘What are you making?’

and ‘Your work has no hands’?

10 Woe to the one who says to a father, ‘What you are begetting?’

ori to a woman, ‘With what are you in labor?’ ”

11 Thus says Yahweh, the holy one of Israel,

and its ⌊maker⌋:j

“Ask me of the things to come ⌊about⌋k my children,

and you command me about the work of my hands.

12 I myself made the earth,

and I created humankind upon it.

I, my hands, stretched out the heavens,

and I commanded all their host.

13 I myself have stirred him up in righteousness,

and I will make all his paths smooth.

He himself shall build my city,

and he shall set my exiles free,

not for price or a gift,” says Yahweh of hosts.

Yahweh the Only Savior

14 Thus says Yahweh:

“The acquisition of Egypt

and the merchandise of Cush

and the Sabeans, tall men,

shall pass over to you;

they shall be yours,

and they shall walk behind you.

They shall pass over in chains,

and they shall bow down to you;

they will pray to you:

‘Surely God is with you, and there is no other.

Besides him there is no God.’ ”

15 Surely you are a God who keeps yourself hidden,

God of Israel, the savior.

16 All of them are ashamed and indeed humiliated;

the craftsmen of idols go together in insult.

17 Israel is saved by Yahweh with everlasting salvation;

you shall not be ashamed,

and you shall not be humiliated ⌊to all eternity⌋.l

18 For thus says Yahweh, ⌊who created⌋m the heavens,

he is God, ⌊who formed⌋n the earth

and ⌊who made⌋o it.

He himself established it;

he did not create it as emptiness—

he formed it for inhabiting.

“I am Yahweh and there is none besides me.

19 I have spoken not in secrecy, in a place, a land, of darkness,

I have not said to the descendants of Jacob, ‘Seek me ⌊in vain⌋!’p

I, Yahweh, am speaking righteousness,

declaring uprightness.