Isaiah 44:15–19

Then it becomes fuel for a man. He takes a part of it and warms himself; he kindles a fire and bakes bread. Also he makes a god and worships it; he makes it an idol and falls down before it. Half of it he burns in the fire. Over the half he eats meat; he roasts it and is satisfied. Also he warms himself and says, “Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire!” And the rest of it he makes into a god, his idol, and falls down to it and worships it. He prays to it and says, “Deliver me, for you are my god!”

They know not, nor do they discern, for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand. 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. And shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?”

A person can use it for fuel.

He takes some of it and warms himself;

also he kindles a fire and bakes bread;

he even makes it into a god and worships it;

he makes an idol from it and bows down to it.

He burns half of it in a fire,

and he roasts meat on that half.

He eats the roast and is satisfied.

He warms himself and says, “Ah!

I am warm, I see the blaze.”

He makes a god or his idol with the rest of it.

He bows down to it and worships;

he prays to it, “Save me, for you are my god.”

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.

No one comes to his senses;

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.

Should I make something detestable with the rest of it?

Should I bow down to a block of wood?”

Then he uses part of the wood to make a fire.

With it he warms himself and bakes his bread.

Then—yes, it’s true—he takes the rest of it

and makes himself a god to worship!

He makes an idol

and bows down in front of it!

He burns part of the tree to roast his meat

and to keep himself warm.

He says, “Ah, that fire feels good.”

Then he takes what’s left

and makes his god: a carved idol!

He falls down in front of it,

worshiping and praying to it.

“Rescue me!” he says.

“You are my god!”

Such stupidity and ignorance!

Their eyes are closed, and they cannot see.

Their minds are shut, and they cannot think.

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?”

And it becomes fuel for a human,

and he takes some of it and grows warm;

also, he kindles a fire and bakes bread.

Also, he makes a god and bows in worship;

he makes himself an image and bows down to it!

He burns half of it in the fire;

he eats meat over half of it;

he roasts a roast and is satisfied.

Also he grows warm and says, “Ah!

I am warm! I see the fire!”

And he makes the remainder of it into a god!

He bows down to his idol,

and he bows in worship and prays to him,

and he says, “Save me, for you are my god!”

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.

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!”

Then shall it be for a man to burn:

For he will take thereof, and warm himself;

Yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread;

Yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it;

He maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.

He burneth part thereof in the fire;

With part thereof he eateth flesh;

He roasteth roast, and is satisfied:

Yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha,

I am warm, I have seen the fire:

And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image:

He falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it,

And saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.

They have not known nor understood:

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

And their hearts, that they cannot understand.

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?