(A)“Woe to him who strives with him who formed him,
    a pot among earthen pots!
(B)Does the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’
    or ‘Your work has no handles’?
10 Woe to him who says to a father, ‘What are you begetting?’
    or to a woman, ‘With what are you in labor?’”

11 Thus says (C)the Lord,
    the Holy One of Israel, and the one who formed him:
(D)“Ask me of things to come;
    will you command me (E)concerning my children and (F)the work of my hands?[a]
12 (G)I made the earth
    and created man on it;
it was my hands (H)that stretched out the heavens,
    and (I)I commanded all their host.
13 (J)I have stirred him up in righteousness,
    (K)and I will make all his ways level;
(L)he shall build my city
    (M)and set my exiles free,
not for price or reward,”
    says the Lord of hosts.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 45:11 A slight emendation yields will you question me about my children, or command me concerning the work of my hands?

Woe to the one who strives with his maker,[a]
    a potsherd among[b] potsherds of earth!
Does the clay say to the one who fashions it,
    ‘What are you making?’
    and ‘Your work has no hands’?
10 Woe to the one who says to a father, ‘What you are begetting?’
    or[c] to a woman, ‘With what are you in labor?’”
11 Thus says Yahweh, the holy one of Israel,
    and its maker:[d]
“Ask me of the things to come about[e] my children,
    and you command me about the work of my hands.
12 I myself made the earth,
    and I created humankind upon it.
I, my hands, stretched out the heavens,
    and I commanded all their host.
13 I myself have stirred him up in righteousness,
    and I will make all his paths smooth.
He himself shall build my city,
    and he shall set my exiles free,

not for price or a gift,” says Yahweh of hosts.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 45:9 Literally “one who forms”
  2. Isaiah 45:9 Or “with”
  3. Isaiah 45:10 Or “and”
  4. Isaiah 45:11 Literally “one who forms”
  5. Isaiah 45:11 Literally “over”