but you have exaltedyourself againstthe Lordof heaven;and they have broughtthe vesselsof His housebeforeyou, and you and your nobles,your wivesand your concubineshave been drinkingwinefrom them; and you have praisedthe godsof silverand gold,of bronze,iron,woodand stone,whichdo not see,hearor understand.But the Godin whosehandare your life-breathand your ways,you have not glorified.
He blessedhim and said,"Blessedbe Abramof GodMostHigh,Possessorof heavenand earth;
Then the LORDGodformedmanof dustfrom the ground,and breathedinto his nostrilsthe breathof life;and manbecamea livingbeing.
"You have indeeddefeatedEdom,and your hearthas becomeproud.Enjoyyour gloryand stayat home;for whyshould you provoketroubleso that you, even you, would fall,and Judahwith you?"
In whosehandis the lifeof everylivingthing,And the breathof allmankind?
"Does He not seemy waysAnd numberallmy steps?
You hideYour face,they are dismayed;You takeawaytheir spirit,they expireAnd returnto their dust.
The heavensare the heavensof the LORD,But the earthHe has givento the sonsof men.
You scrutinizemy pathand my lyingdown,And are intimatelyacquaintedwith allmy ways.
His spiritdeparts,he returnsto the earth;In that very dayhis thoughtsperish.
Man'sstepsare [ordained] by the LORD,Howthen can manunderstandhis way?
Thus I will punishthe worldfor its evilAnd the wickedfor their iniquity;I will also putan endto the arroganceof the proudAnd abasethe haughtinessof the ruthless.
"But you saidin your heart,I will ascendto heaven;I will raisemy throneabovethe starsof God,And I will siton the mountof assemblyIn the recessesof the north.
For the LORDof hostswill have a day[of reckoning] Againsteveryonewhois proudand loftyAnd againsteveryonewho is liftedup, That he may be abased.
"NowI will arise,"saysthe LORD,"NowI will be exalted,nowI will be liftedup.
and have casttheir godsinto the fire,for they were not godsbut the workof men'shands,woodand stone.So they have destroyedthem.
"Whomhave you reproachedand blasphemed?And againstwhomhave you raised[your] voiceAnd haughtilyliftedup your eyes?Againstthe HolyOneof Israel!
ThussaysGodthe LORD,Who createdthe heavensand stretchedthem out, Who spreadout the earthand its offspring,Who givesbreathto the peopleon it And spiritto those who walkin it,
I know,O LORD,that a man'swayis not in himself,Noris it in a manwho walksto directhis steps.
"Makehim drunk,for he has becomearroganttowardthe LORD;so Moabwill wallowin his vomit,and he alsowill becomea laughingstock.
There is a soundof fugitivesand refugeesfrom the landof Babylon,To declarein Zionthe vengeanceof the LORDour God,Vengeancefor His temple.
"SummonmanyagainstBabylon,Allthose who bendthe bow:Encampagainsther on everyside,Let there be noescape. Repayher according to her work;According to allthat she has done,[so] doto her; For she has becomearrogantagainstthe LORD,Againstthe HolyOneof Israel.
"Your heartwas liftedup because of your beauty;You corruptedyour wisdomby reasonof your splendor.I castyou to the ground;I putyou beforekings,That they may seeyou.
"Sonof man,sayto the leaderof Tyre,'Thussaysthe LordGOD,"Becauseyour heartis liftedup And you have said,I am a god,I sitin the seatof godsIn the heartof the seas;Yet you are a manand not God,Although you makeyour heartlike the heartof God--
"By your greatwisdom,by your tradeYou have increasedyour richesAnd your heartis liftedup because of your riches--
Thereforethussaysthe LordGOD,"Becauseit is highin statureand has setits topamongthe clouds,and its heartis haughtyin its loftiness,
"When the multitudeis carriedaway, his heartwill be liftedup, and he will cause tensof thousandsto fall;yet he will not prevail.
"NowI, Nebuchadnezzar,praise,exaltand honorthe Kingof heaven,for allHis worksare true and His waysjust,and He is ableto humblethose whowalkin pride."
It evenmagnified[itself] to be equalwith the Commanderof the host;and it removedthe regularsacrificefrom Him, and the placeof His sanctuarywas throwndown.
"Behold,as for the proudone, His soulis not rightwithin him; But the righteouswill liveby his faith.
noris He servedby humanhands,as though He neededanything,since He Himselfgivesto all[people] lifeand breathand all things;
Thereforeconcerningthe eatingof things sacrificed to idols,we knowthat there is nosuch thingas an idolin the world,and that there is noGodbut one.
[and] not a new convert,sothat he will not become conceitedand fallinto the condemnationincurred by the devil.
And there is nocreaturehiddenfrom His sight,but all thingsare openand laid bareto the eyesof Him with whomwe have to do.
The restof mankind,whowere not killedby theseplagues,did not repentof the worksof their hands,soas not to worshipdemons,and the idolsof goldand of silverand of brassand of stoneand of wood,whichcanneitherseenorhearnorwalk;
Now the lordsof the Philistinesassembledto offera greatsacrificeto Dagontheir god,and to rejoice,for they said,"Our godhas givenSamsonour enemyinto our hands."
Then Davidspoketo the menwho were standingby him, saying,"Whatwill be donefor the manwhokillsthisPhilistineand takesawaythe reproachfrom Israel?For whois thisuncircumcisedPhilistine,that he should tauntthe armiesof the livingGod?"
"Your servanthas killedboththe lionand the bear;and thisuncircumcisedPhilistinewill be like oneof them, sincehe has tauntedthe armiesof the livingGod."
