(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 those who strive with their Maker,
    earthen vessels with the potter![a]
Does the clay say to the one who fashions it, “What are you making”?
    or “Your work has no handles”?(A)
10 Woe to anyone who says to a father, “What are you fathering?”
    or to a woman, “With what are you in labor?”
11 Thus says the Lord,
    the Holy One of Israel and its Maker:
Will you question me[b] about my children
    or command me concerning the work of my hands?(B)
12 I made the earth
    and created humankind upon it;
it was my hands that stretched out the heavens,
    and I commanded all their host.(C)
13 I have aroused Cyrus[c] in righteousness,
    and I will make all his paths straight;
he shall build my city
    and set my exiles free,
not for price or reward,
    says the Lord of hosts.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. 45.9 Cn: Heb with the potsherds or with the potters
  2. 45.11 Cn: Heb Ask me of things to come
  3. 45.13 Heb him