13 The woodworker stretches a line,and marks out a shape with a stylus.He shapes it with scraping tools,with a compass measures it off,Making it the copy of a man,human display, enthroned in a shrine.
14 He goes out to cut down cedars,takes a holm tree or an oak.He picks out for himself trees of the forest,plants a fir, and the rain makes it grow.
15 It is used for fuel:with some of the wood he warms himself,makes a fire and bakes bread.Yet he makes a god and worships it,turns it into an idol and adores it!
16 Half of it he burns in the fire,on its embers he roasts meat;he eats the roast and is full.He warms himself and says, “Ah!I am warm! I see the flames!”
17 The rest of it he makes into a god,an image to worship and adore.He prays to it and says,“Help me! You are my god!”
18 They do not know, do not understand;their eyes are too clouded to see,their minds, to perceive.
19 He does not think clearly;he lacks the wit and knowledge to say,“Half the wood I burned in the fire,on its embers I baked bread,I roasted meat and ate.Shall I turn the rest into an abomination?Shall I worship a block of wood?”