“Woe to the one who argues with his Maker—
one clay pot among many.[a]
Does clay say to the one forming it,
‘What are you making?’ (A)
Or does your work say,
‘He has no hands’?[b]
10 Woe to the one who says to his father,
‘What are you fathering?’
or to his mother,[c]
‘What are you giving birth to?’”
11 This is what the Lord,
the Holy One of Israel(B) and its Maker, says:
“Ask me what is to happen to[d] my sons,(C)
and instruct me about the work of my hands.(D)
12 I made the earth,
and created humans on it.
It was my hands that stretched out the heavens,(E)
and I commanded everything in them.
13 I have stirred him up in righteousness,(F)
and will level all roads for him.
He will rebuild my city,(G)
and set my exiles free,(H)
not for a price or a bribe,”
says the Lord of Armies.

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Footnotes

  1. 45:9 Lit a clay pot with clay pots of the ground
  2. 45:9 Or making? Your work has no hands.
  3. 45:10 Lit to a woman
  4. 45:11 Or me the coming things about

“Woe to those who quarrel(A) with their Maker,(B)
    those who are nothing but potsherds(C)
    among the potsherds on the ground.
Does the clay say to the potter,(D)
    ‘What are you making?’(E)
Does your work say,
    ‘The potter has no hands’?(F)
10 Woe to the one who says to a father,
    ‘What have you begotten?’
or to a mother,
    ‘What have you brought to birth?’

11 “This is what the Lord says—
    the Holy One(G) of Israel, and its Maker:(H)
Concerning things to come,
    do you question me about my children,
    or give me orders about the work of my hands?(I)
12 It is I who made the earth(J)
    and created mankind on it.
My own hands stretched out the heavens;(K)
    I marshaled their starry hosts.(L)
13 I will raise up Cyrus[a](M) in my righteousness:
    I will make all his ways straight.(N)
He will rebuild my city(O)
    and set my exiles free,
but not for a price or reward,(P)
    says the Lord Almighty.”

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 45:13 Hebrew him