50 Or “of what value.”
51 Heb “so that the one who forms it fashions it?” Here כִּי (ki) is taken as resultative after the rhetorical question. For other examples of this use, see R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 73, §450.
52 Heb “or a metal image, a teacher of lies.” The words “What good is” in the translation are supplied from the previous parallel line. “Teacher of lies” refers to the false oracles that the so-called god would deliver through a priest. See J. J. M. Roberts, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah (), 126.
53 Heb “so that the one who forms his image trusts in it?” As earlier in the verse, כִּי (ki) is resultative.
54 Heb “to make.”
55 Heb “Woe [to] the one who says.” On the term הוֹי (hoy) see the note on the word “dead” in v. .
56 The words “he who says” in the translation are supplied from the previous parallel line.
57 Though the Hebrew text has no formal interrogative marker here, the context indicates that the statement should be taken as a rhetorical question anticipating the answer, “Of course not!” (so also , ).
58 Or “holy temple.” The Lord’s heavenly palace, rather than the earthly temple, is probably in view here (see Ps 11:4; Mic 1:2–3). The Hebrew word ֹקדֶשׁ (qodesh, “holy”) here refers to the sovereign transcendence associated with his palace.
59 Or “Be quiet before him, all the earth!”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

“What profit is an idol

when its maker has shaped it,

a metal image, a teacher of lies?

For its maker trusts in his own creation

when he makes speechless idols!

Woe to him who says to a wooden thing, Awake;

to a silent stone, Arise!

Can this teach?

Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver,

and there is no breath at all in it.

But the Lord is in his holy temple;

let all the earth keep silence before him.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

“Of what value is an idol carved by a craftsman?

Or an image that teaches lies?

For the one who makes it trusts in his own creation;

he makes idols that cannot speak.

Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Come to life!’

Or to lifeless stone, ‘Wake up!’

Can it give guidance?

It is covered with gold and silver;

there is no breath in it.”

The Lord is in his holy temple;

let all the earth be silent before him.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

What use is a carved idol

after its craftsman carves it?

It is only a cast image, a teacher of lies.

For the one who crafts its shape trusts in it

and makes worthless idols that cannot speak.

Woe to him who says to wood: Wake up!

or to mute stone: Come alive!

Can it teach?

Look! It may be plated with gold and silver,

yet there is no breath in it at all.

But the Lord is in his holy temple;

let the whole earth

be silent in his presence.

NLTNew Living Translation

“What good is an idol carved by man,

or a cast image that deceives you?

How foolish to trust in your own creation—

a god that can’t even talk!

What sorrow awaits you who say to wooden idols,

‘Wake up and save us!’

To speechless stone images you say,

‘Rise up and teach us!’

Can an idol tell you what to do?

They may be overlaid with gold and silver,

but they are lifeless inside.

But the Lord is in his holy Temple.

Let all the earth be silent before him.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

What value is an idol

when its carver has fashioned it,

a molten idol, a teacher of lies?

For he who fashioned his creation trusts in it,

though making mute idols!

Woe to him who says to the wood, ‘Wake up!’

And to a lifeless stone, ‘Arise!’

Can he teach?

Look, it is covered with gold and silver,

and there is no breath within it.

But Yahweh is in his holy temple.

Let all the earth be silent before him.”

KJV 1900King James Version

What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it;

The molten image, and a teacher of lies,

That the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols?

Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach!

Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver,

And there is no breath at all in the midst of it.

But the Lord is in his holy temple:

Let all the earth keep silence before him.

Public Domain