Confractus est Bel, contritus est Nabo; facta sunt simulacra eorum bestiis et jumentis, onera vestra gravi pondere usque ad lassitudinem.

Bel is broken, Nebo is destroyed: their idols are put upon beasts and cattle, your burdens of heavy weight even unto weariness.

Here is Bel fallen in pieces, Nabo shattered; their idols a gazing-stock for wild beasts and cattle! Heavy enough the burden you had to carry;

Contabuerunt, et contrita sunt simul; non potuerunt salvare portantem, et anima eorum in captivitatem ibit.

They are consumed, and are broken together: they could not save him that carried them, and they themselves shall go into captivity.

these must be left to moulder in a common ruin; comfort they had none for their toiling worshippers, living souls that have gone off into captivity.

Audite me, domus Jacob, et omne residuum domus Israël; qui portamini a meo utero, qui gestamini a mea vulva.

Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who are carried by my bowels, are borne up by my womb.

Listen to me, sons of Jacob, and all the rest of Israel’s race, you whose weight has ever been my burden, like an unborn child, a babe in the womb.

Usque ad senectam ego ipse, et usque ad canos ego portabo; ego feci, et ego feram; ego portabo, et salvabo.

Even to your old age I am the same, and to your grey hairs I will carry you: I have made you, and I will bear: I will carry and will save.

You grow old, but I am still the same; the grey hairs come, but I ever uphold you; I must carry you, I that created you, I must bear you away to safety.

Cui assimilastis me, et adæquastis, et comparastis me, et fecistis similem?

To whom have you likened me, and made me equal, and compared me, and made me like?

What comparison, what match will you find for me, what likeness to resemble me?

Qui confertis aurum de sacculo, et argentum statera ponderatis, conducentes aurificem ut faciat deum, et procidunt, et adorant.

You that contribute gold out of the bag, and weigh out silver in the scales: and hire a goldsmith to make a god: and they fall down and worship.

Fools that fetch gold out of a sack, weigh silver in the balance, bid some craftsman make a god they should fall down and worship!

Portant illum in humeris gestantes, et ponentes in loco suo, et stabit, ac de loco suo non movebitur: sed et cum clamaverint ad eum, non audiet; de tribulatione non salvabit eos.

They bear him on their shoulders and carry him, and set him in his place, and he shall stand, and shall not stir out of his place. Yea, when they shall cry also unto him, he shall not hear: he shall not save them from tribulation.

Shoulder-high it must be borne, set down on its pedestal; there it stands, powerless to move from its place, deaf to their cry, and in their need bringing no deliverance.

Mementote istud, et confundamini; redite, prævaricatores, ad cor.

Remember this, and be ashamed: return, ye transgressors, to the heart.

This, for your confusion, call to mind; think well on it, unbelieving hearts.

Recordamini prioris sæculi, quoniam ego sum Deus, et non est ultra deus, nec est similis mei.

Remember the former age, for I am God, and there is no God beside, neither is there the like to me:

Remember the lesson of times long since, that I am God, and there is no other, none to rival me;

Annuntians ab exordio novissimum, et ab initio quæ necdum facta sunt, dicens: Consilium meum stabit, et omnis voluntas mea fiet.

Who shew from the beginning the things that shall be at last, and from ancient times the things that as yet are not done, saying: My counsel shall stand, and all my will shall be done:

did I not tell you from the first the events of latter days, from the beginning what had not yet come to be? My purpose, I promised, should not fail, my whole will must needs be done.

Vocans ab oriente avem, et de terra longinqua virum voluntatis meæ: et locutus sum, et adducam illud; creavi et faciam illud.

Who call a bird from the east, and from a far country the man of my own will, and I have spoken, and will bring it to pass: I have created, and I will do it. Hear me, O ye hardhearted, who are far from justice.

See where I have summoned a bird of prey from the east, a man from a distant country, to do this will of mine! I, that spoke, will make my word good; I, that purposed it, my purpose will accomplish.

Audite me, duro corde, qui longe estis a justitia.

Redress far off? Nay, faithless hearts, listen to me;

Prope feci justitiam meam, non elongabitur, et salus mea non morabitur. Dabo in Sion salutem, et in Israël gloriam meam.

I have brought my justice near, it shall not be afar off: and my salvation shall not tarry. I will give salvation in Sion, and my glory in Israel.

here is redress I bring you, close at hand. Distance there is none to be travelled, nor lingers deliverance on the way. Delivered Sion’s mountain shall be, Jerusalem have sight of my glory.