Jeremiah 10:3–9

for the customs of the peoples are vanity.

A tree from the forest is cut down

and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman.

They decorate it with silver and gold;

they fasten it with hammer and nails

so that it cannot move.

Their idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field,

and they cannot speak;

they have to be carried,

for they cannot walk.

Do not be afraid of them,

for they cannot do evil,

neither is it in them to do good.”

There is none like you, O Lord;

you are great, and your name is great in might.

Who would not fear you, O King of the nations?

For this is your due;

for among all the wise ones of the nations

and in all their kingdoms

there is none like you.

They are both stupid and foolish;

the instruction of idols is but wood!

Beaten silver is brought from Tarshish,

and gold from Uphaz.

They are the work of the craftsman and of the hands of the goldsmith;

their clothing is violet and purple;

they are all the work of skilled men.

For the practices of the peoples are worthless;

they cut a tree out of the forest,

and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel.

They adorn it with silver and gold;

they fasten it with hammer and nails

so it will not totter.

Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field,

their idols cannot speak;

they must be carried

because they cannot walk.

Do not fear them;

they can do no harm

nor can they do any good.”

No one is like you, Lord;

you are great,

and your name is mighty in power.

Who should not fear you,

King of the nations?

This is your due.

Among all the wise leaders of the nations

and in all their kingdoms,

there is no one like you.

They are all senseless and foolish;

they are taught by worthless wooden idols.

Hammered silver is brought from Tarshish

and gold from Uphaz.

What the craftsman and goldsmith have made

is then dressed in blue and purple—

all made by skilled workers.

for the customs of the peoples are worthless.

Someone cuts down a tree from the forest;

it is worked by the hands of a craftsman with a chisel.

He decorates it with silver and gold.

It is fastened with hammer and nails,

so it won’t totter.

Like scarecrows in a cucumber patch,

their idols cannot speak.

They must be carried because they cannot walk.

Do not fear them for they can do no harm—

and they cannot do any good.

Lord, there is no one like you.

You are great;

your name is great in power.

Who should not fear you,

King of the nations?

It is what you deserve.

For among all the wise people of the nations

and among all their kingdoms,

there is no one like you.

They are both stupid and foolish,

instructed by worthless idols

made of wood!

Beaten silver is brought from Tarshish

and gold from Uphaz.

The work of a craftsman

and of a goldsmith’s hands

is clothed in blue and purple,

all the work of skilled artisans.

Their ways are futile and foolish.

They cut down a tree, and a craftsman carves an idol.

They decorate it with gold and silver

and then fasten it securely with hammer and nails

so it won’t fall over.

Their gods are like

helpless scarecrows in a cucumber field!

They cannot speak,

and they need to be carried because they cannot walk.

Do not be afraid of such gods,

for they can neither harm you nor do you any good.”

Lord, there is no one like you!

For you are great, and your name is full of power.

Who would not fear you, O King of nations?

That title belongs to you alone!

Among all the wise people of the earth

and in all the kingdoms of the world,

there is no one like you.

People who worship idols are stupid and foolish.

The things they worship are made of wood!

They bring beaten sheets of silver from Tarshish

and gold from Uphaz,

and they give these materials to skillful craftsmen

who make their idols.

Then they dress these gods in royal blue and purple robes

made by expert tailors.

For the statutes of the peoples are vanity,

for it is a tree cut down from the forest,

the work of the hands of a craftsman with the tool.

He decorates it with silver and gold,

they strengthen it with nails and hammers,

so that it does not stagger.

They are like scarecrows in a cucumber field,

they cannot speak.

Indeed, they must be carried,

for they cannot march.

You must not be afraid of them,

for they cannot do evil;

furthermore, to do good is not in them.”

There is none like you, O Yahweh,

you are great and your name is great in might.

Who would not revere you, O king of the nations?

For you it is fitting.

For among all the wise men of the nations,

and in all their kingdoms,

there is none like you.

At the same time they are stupid and foolish,

in the instruction of idols, it is wood.

Silver beaten from Tarshish is brought,

and gold from Uphaz,

the work of the craftsman and the hands of the goldsmith.

Blue and purple are their clothing,

all of them are the work of skillful people.

For the customs of the people are vain:

For one cutteth a tree out of the forest,

The work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.

They deck it with silver and with gold;

They fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.

They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not:

They must needs be borne, because they cannot go.

Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil,

Neither also is it in them to do good.

Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O Lord;

Thou art great, and thy name is great in might.

Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain:

Forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee.

But they are altogether brutish and foolish:

The stock is a doctrine of vanities.

Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish,

And gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder:

Blue and purple is their clothing:

They are all the work of cunning men.