18 With whom will you compare God?
What likeness will you set up for comparison with him?(A)
19 An idol?—something that a smelter casts
and a metalworker plates with gold
and makes silver chains for?(B)
20 A poor person contributes wood for a pedestal
that will not rot.[a]
He looks for a skilled craftsman
to set up an idol that will not fall over.(C)

21 Do you not know?(D)
Have you not heard?
Has it not been declared to you
from the beginning?
Have you not considered
the foundations of the earth?(E)
22 God is enthroned above the circle of the earth;
its inhabitants are like grasshoppers.(F)
He stretches out the heavens like thin cloth(G)
and spreads them out like a tent to live in.(H)
23 He reduces princes to nothing(I)
and makes judges of the earth like a wasteland.
24 They are barely planted, barely sown,
their stem hardly takes root in the ground
when he blows on them and they wither,
and a whirlwind carries them away like stubble.(J)

25 “To whom will you compare me,(K)
or who is my equal?” asks the Holy One.
26 Look up and see!
Who created(L) these?
He brings out the stars by number;
he calls all of them by name.(M)
Because of his great power and strength,
not one of them is missing.

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Notas al pie

  1. 40:20 Or who is too poor for such an offering, or who chooses mulberry wood as a votive gift; Hb obscure

18 To whom, then, will you liken God,
    or what likeness compare with him?(A)
19 An idol? A workman casts it,
    and a goldsmith overlays it with gold
    and casts for it silver chains.(B)
20 As a gift one chooses mulberry wood[a]
    —wood that will not rot—
then seeks out a skilled artisan
    to set up an image that will not topple.(C)

21 Have you not known? Have you not heard?
    Has it not been told you from the beginning?
    Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?(D)
22 It is he who sits above the circle of the earth,
    and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers,
who stretches out the heavens like a curtain
    and spreads them like a tent to live in,(E)
23 who brings princes to naught
    and makes the rulers of the earth as nothing.(F)

24 Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown,
    scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth,
when he blows upon them, and they wither,
    and the tempest carries them off like stubble.(G)

25 To whom, then, will you compare me,
    or who is my equal? says the Holy One.(H)
26 Lift up your eyes on high and see:
    Who created these?
He who brings out their host and numbers them,
    calling them all by name;
because he is great in strength,
    mighty in power,
    not one is missing.(I)

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Notas al pie

  1. 40.20 Meaning of Heb uncertain

18 With whom, then, will you compare God?(A)
    To what image(B) will you liken him?
19 As for an idol,(C) a metalworker casts it,
    and a goldsmith(D) overlays it with gold(E)
    and fashions silver chains for it.
20 A person too poor to present such an offering
    selects wood(F) that will not rot;
they look for a skilled worker
    to set up an idol(G) that will not topple.(H)

21 Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?(I)
Has it not been told(J) you from the beginning?(K)
    Have you not understood(L) since the earth was founded?(M)
22 He sits enthroned(N) above the circle of the earth,
    and its people are like grasshoppers.(O)
He stretches out the heavens(P) like a canopy,(Q)
    and spreads them out like a tent(R) to live in.(S)
23 He brings princes(T) to naught
    and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.(U)
24 No sooner are they planted,
    no sooner are they sown,
    no sooner do they take root(V) in the ground,
than he blows(W) on them and they wither,(X)
    and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.(Y)

25 “To whom will you compare me?(Z)
    Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.(AA)
26 Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:(AB)
    Who created(AC) all these?
He who brings out the starry host(AD) one by one
    and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,(AE)
    not one of them is missing.(AF)

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