Jeremiah 10:3-10

Other Translations of Jeremiah 10:3-10

New International Version

³ For the practices of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel. ⁴ They adorn it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so it will not totter. ⁵ 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." ⁶ No one is like you, Lord; you are great, and your name is mighty in power. ⁷ 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. ⁸ They are all senseless and foolish; they are taught by worthless wooden idols. ⁹ 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. ¹⁰ But the Lord is the true God; he is the living God, the eternal King. When he is angry, the earth trembles; the nations cannot endure his wrath.

English Standard Version

³ for the customs of the peoples are vanity.Or vapor, or mist A tree from the forest is cut down and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman. ⁴ They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so that it cannot move. ⁵ Their idolsHebrew They 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." ⁶ There is none like you, O Lord; you are great, and your name is great in might. ⁷ 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. ⁸ They are both stupid and foolish; the instruction of idols is but wood! ⁹ 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. ¹⁰ But the Lord is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King. At his wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure his indignation.

The Message

³ The religion of these peoples is nothing but smoke. An idol is nothing but a tree chopped down, then shaped by a woodsman's ax. ⁴ They trim it with tinsel and balls, use hammer and nails to keep it upright. ⁵ It's like a scarecrow in a cabbage patch - can't talk! Dead wood that has to be carried - can't walk! Don't be impressed by such stuff. It's useless for either good or evil." ⁶ All this is nothing compared to you, O God. You're wondrously great, famously great. ⁷ Who can fail to be impressed by you, King of the nations? It's your very nature to be worshiped! Look far and wide among the elite of the nations. The best they can come up with is nothing compared to you. ⁸ Stupidly, they line them up - a lineup of sticks, good for nothing but making smoke. ⁹ Gilded with silver foil from Tarshish, covered with gold from Uphaz, Hung with violet and purple fabrics - no matter how fancy the sticks, they're still sticks. ¹⁰ But God is the real thing - the living God, the eternal King. When he's angry, Earth shakes. Yes, and the godless nations quake.

New King James Version

³ For the customs of the peoples are futile; For one cuts a tree from the forest, The work of the hands of the workman, with the ax. ⁴ They decorate it with silver and gold; They fasten it with nails and hammers So that it will not topple. ⁵ They are upright, like a palm tree, And they cannot speak; They must be carried, Because they cannot go by themselves. Do not be afraid of them, For they cannot do evil, Nor can they do any good." ⁶ Inasmuch as there is none like You, O Lord (You are great, and Your name is great in might), ⁷ Who would not fear You, O King of the nations? For this is Your rightful due. For among all the wise men of the nations, And in all their kingdoms, There is none like You. ⁸ But they are altogether dull-hearted and foolish; A wooden idol is a worthless doctrine. ⁹ Silver is beaten into plates; It is brought from Tarshish, And gold from Uphaz, The work of the craftsman And of the hands of the metalsmith; Blue and purple are their clothing; They are all the work of skillful men. ¹⁰ But the Lord is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King. At His wrath the earth will tremble, And the nations will not be able to endure His indignation.

New Living Translation

³ Their ways are futile and foolish. They cut down a tree, and a craftsman carves an idol. ⁴ They decorate it with gold and silver and then fasten it securely with hammer and nails so it won't fall over. ⁵ 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." ⁶ Lord, there is no one like you! For you are great, and your name is full of power. ⁷ 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. ⁸ People who worship idols are stupid and foolish. The things they worship are made of wood! ⁹ 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. ¹⁰ But the Lord is the only true God. He is the living God and the everlasting King! The whole earth trembles at his anger. The nations cannot stand up to his wrath.