12 Who has measured the watersd in the hollow of his hand,e

or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?f

Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,

or weighed the mountains on the scales

and the hills in a balance?g

13 Who can fathom the Spiritd h of the Lord,

or instruct the Lord as his counselor?i

14 Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him,

and who taught him the right way?

Who was it that taught him knowledge,j

or showed him the path of understanding?k

15 Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket;

they are regarded as dust on the scales;l

he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.m

16 Lebanonn is not sufficient for altar fires,

nor its animalso enough for burnt offerings.

17 Before him all the nationsp are as nothing;q

they are regarded by him as worthless

and less than nothing.r

18 With whom, then, will you compare God?s

To what imaget will you liken him?

19 As for an idol,u a metalworker casts it,

and a goldsmithv overlays it with goldw

and fashions silver chains for it.

20 A person too poor to present such an offering

selects woodx that will not rot;

they look for a skilled worker

to set up an idoly that will not topple.z

21 Do you not know?

Have you not heard?a

Has it not been toldb you from the beginning?c

Have you not understoodd since the earth was founded?e

22 He sits enthronedf above the circle of the earth,

and its people are like grasshoppers.g

He stretches out the heavensh like a canopy,i

and spreads them out like a tentj to live in.k

23 He brings princesl to naught

and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.m

24 No sooner are they planted,

no sooner are they sown,

no sooner do they take rootn in the ground,

than he blowso on them and they wither,p

and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.q

25 “To whom will you compare me?r

Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.s

26 Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:t

Who createdu all these?

He who brings out the starry hostv one by one

and calls forth each of them by name.

Because of his great power and mighty strength,w

not one of them is missing.x

27 Why do you complain, Jacob?

Why do you say, Israel,

“My way is hidden from the Lord;

my cause is disregarded by my God”?y

28 Do you not know?

Have you not heard?z

The Lord is the everlastinga God,

the Creatorb of the ends of the earth.c

He will not grow tired or weary,d

and his understanding no one can fathom.e

29 He gives strengthf to the wearyg

and increases the power of the weak.

30 Even youths grow tired and weary,

and young menh stumble and fall;i

31 but those who hopej in the Lord

will renew their strength.k

They will soar on wings like eagles;l

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint.m