12 The blacksmith with the tongs works one in the coals,Fashions it with hammers,And works it with the strength of his arms.Even so, he is hungry, and his strength fails;He drinks no water and is faint.
13 The craftsman stretches out his rule,He marks one out with chalk;He fashions it with a plane,He marks it out with the compass,And makes it like the figure of a man,According to the beauty of a man, that it may remain in the house.
14 He cuts down cedars for himself,And takes the cypress and the oak;He secures it for himself among the trees of the forest.He plants a pine, and the rain nourishes it.
15 Then it shall be for a man to burn,For he will take some of it and warm himself;Yes, he kindles it and bakes bread;Indeed he makes a god and worships it;He makes it a carved image, and falls down to it.
16 He burns half of it in the fire;With this half he eats meat;He roasts a roast, and is satisfied.He even warms himself and says,“Ah! I am warm,I have seen the fire.”
17 And the rest of it he makes into a god,His carved image.He falls down before it and worships it,Prays to it and says,“Deliver me, for you are my god!”
18 They do not know nor understand;For He has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see,And their hearts, so that they cannot understand.