“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

Potter and clay

Doom to the one who argues with the potter,[a]
    as if he were just another clay pot!
Does the clay say to the potter, “What are you making?”
    or “Your work has no handles”?
10 Doom to one who says to a father,
    “What have you fathered?”
    and to a woman,
    “With what are you in labor?”
11 The Lord, the holy one of Israel and its maker,[b] says:
Are you questioning me[c] about my own children?
    Are you telling me what to do with the work of my hands?
12 I myself made the earth,
    and created humans upon it.
    My own hands stretched out the heavens.
    I commanded all their forces.
13 I have a right to awaken Cyrus;
    I will smooth all his paths.
He will build my city
    and set my exiles free,
    not for a price and not for a bribe,
    says the Lord of heavenly forces.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 45:9 Or maker
  2. Isaiah 45:11 Or potter
  3. Isaiah 45:11 Or about future things ask me