Baruch 6

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	NEW JERUSALEM
1 This is a copy of the letter that Jeremiah sent to those who would be taken captive into Babylon by the king of Babylon, so as to prophesy to them according to the warning he had received about them from God. “Because of the sins which you have sinned before God, you will be carried away into the captivity of Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon.	1 'Because of the sins which you have committed before God you are to be deported to Babylon byNebuchadnezzar king of the Babylonians.
2 And so, having been taken into Babylon, you will be there many years and for a long time, even to seven generations, yet after this, I will lead you away from there with peace.	2 Once you have reached Babylon you wil stay there for many years, as long as seven generations; afterwhich I shall bring you home in peace.
3 But now, you will see in Babylon gods of gold and of silver, and of stone and of wood, carried upon shoulders, an awful display for the peoples.	3 Now in Babylon you wil see gods made of silver, of gold, of wood, being carried shoulder-high, andfilling the gentiles with fear.
4 See to it, then, that you do not in effect become like these strangers and become afraid, so that in awe you would be carried away into their midst.	4 Be on your guard! Do not imitate the foreigners, do not have any fear of their gods
5 And so, seeing the turmoil, behind you and in front of you, as they are worshiping, say in your hearts, ‘You ought to be adored, O Lord.’	5 as you see their worshippers prostrating themselves before and behind them. Instead, say in yourhearts, "Master, it is you that we must worship."
6 For my angel is with you. And I myself will examine your souls.	6 For my angel is with you; your lives wil be in his care.
7 For their tongue is polished by the craftsman, and they themselves are even inlaid with gold and silver, yet they are false and unable to speak.	7 'Overlaid with gold and silver, their tongues polished smooth by a craftsman, they are counterfeit andhave no power to speak.
8 And, just like a virgin who loves to decorate herself, so do they take up gold and make designs with it.	8 As though for a girl fond of finery, these people take gold and make crowns for the heads of their gods.
9 Their gods have crowns of certified gold upon their heads, from which the priests subtract gold and silver, and spend it on themselves.	9 And sometimes, the priests filch gold and silver from their gods to spend on themselves, even givingsome of it to the prostitutes on the terrace.
10 Moreover, they even give from it to prostitutes, and use it to adorn kept women, and when they receive it back from the kept women, they use it to adorn their gods.	10 They dress up these gods of silver, gold and wood, in clothes, like human beings; on their own theycannot protect themselves from either tarnish or woodworm;
11 But these cannot be freed from rust and moths.	11 when they have been dressed in purple cloaks, their faces have to be dusted, because of the templedust which settles thick on them.
12 Although they are covered with a purple garment, they must wipe off their face, because of the dust of the house, which is very great around them.	12 One holds a sceptre like the governor of a province, yet is powerless to put to death anyone whooffends him;
13 Yet he who holds a scepter like a man, like the judge of the region, cannot put to death one who sins against him.	13 another holds sword and mace in his right hand, yet is powerless to defend himself against war orthieves.
14 And though he holds in his hand a sword and an axe, yet he cannot free himself from war and robbers. From this let it be known to you that they are not gods.	14 From this it is evident that they are not gods; do not be afraid of them.
15 Therefore, do not fear them. For just as the vessel a man uses becomes useless when broken, so also are their gods.	15 'Just as a pot in common use becomes useless once it is broken, so are these gods enshrined insidetheir temples.
16 When they are set up in a house, their eyes are full of dust from the feet of those who enter.	16 Their eyes are ful of dust raised by the feet of those who enter.
17 And like one who has offended the king and is surrounded at every door, or like a corpse about to be carried to the grave, so do the priests secure the doors with bars and locks, lest they be plundered by robbers.	17 Just as the doors are locked on al sides on someone who has offended a king and is under sentenceof death, so the priests secure the temples of these gods with gates and bolts and bars for fear of burglary.
18 They light candles to them, and in great number, and still they are unable to see, for they are like logs in the house.	18 They light more lamps for them than they do for themselves, and the gods see none of them.
19 It is truly said that the creeping things, which are of the earth, gnaw their hearts, and yet when these devour them and their garments, they do not feel it.	19 They are like one of the temple beams, which are said to be gnawed away from within; the termitescreep out of the ground and eat them and their clothes too, and they feel nothing.
20 Their faces are made black by the smoke that is made in the house.	20 Their faces are blackened by the smoke that rises from the temple.
21 Over their bodies and over their heads fly owls and swallows and birds, and similarly, even cats.	21 Bats, swal ows, birds of every kind perch on their bodies and heads, and so do cats.
22 From this you should understand that they are not gods. Therefore, neither should you fear them.	22 From this, you can see for yourselves that they are not gods; do not be afraid of them.
23 Furthermore, the gold which they have is shiny, but unless someone wipes off the rust, they will not shine. And even when they were molten, they did not feel it.	23 'The gold with which they are parading their futility before the world is supposed to make them lookbeautiful, but if someone does not rub off the tarnish, these gods wil not be shining much on their own, and evenwhile they were being cast, they felt nothing.
24 They acquire all kinds of costly things, yet there is no breath in them.	24 However much was paid for them, there is still no breath of life in them.
25 Without feet, they are carried upon shoulders, showing their unworthiness to all men. And so, may those who worship them be confounded.	25 Being unable to walk, they have to be carried on men's shoulders, which shows how futile they are. Itis humiliating for their worshippers, too, who have to stand them up again if they fal over.
26 Because of this, if they fall to the ground, they do not get up by themselves; and if someone sets it upright, they will not stand firm on their own; yet, just like the dead, offerings are placed next to them.	26 Once they have been stood up, they cannot move on their own; if they tilt askew, they cannot rightthemselves; offerings made to them might as wel be made to the dead.
27 The priests themselves sell their sacrifices, and they spend it wastefully; and, in like manner, their wives take part of it, never sharing anything with the sick or the beggars.	27 Whatever is sacrificed to them, the priests re-sel and pocket the profit; while their wives salt down partof it, but give nothing to the poor or to the helpless. As to the sacrifices themselves, why, women during theirperiods and women in childbed are not afraid to touch them!
28 Fertile and menstruous women contaminate their sacrifices. And so, knowing from this that they are not gods, you should not fear them.	28 From all this you can tel that they are not gods; do not be afraid of them.
29 For what reason are they called gods? It is because the women serve before the gods of silver and gold and wood,	29 'Indeed, how can they even be cal ed gods, when women do the offering to these gods of silver, goldand wood?
30 and the priests sit in their houses, with torn garments, and their heads and beards shaven, and nothing on their heads.	30 In their temples, the priests stay sitting down, their garments torn, heads and beard shaved and headsuncovered;
31 But they roar, shouting out to their gods, just as at a feast for the dead.	31 they roar and shriek before their gods as people do at funeral feasts.
32 The priests take away the garments of their gods, and clothe their wives and their sons.	32 The priests take robes from the gods to clothe their own wives and children.
33 And whether they endure evil from someone, or good, they are not able to repay it. They can neither establish a king, nor remove him.	33 Whether these gods are treated badly or well, they are incapable of paying back either treatment; asincapable too of making or unmaking kings,
34 Similarly, they can neither give riches, nor avenge evil. If anyone makes a vow to them, and does not keep it, they cannot require it.	34 equal y incapable of distributing wealth or money. If anyone fails to honour a vow he has made tothem, they cannot cal him to account.
35 They cannot free a man from death, nor rescue the weak from the strong.	35 They can neither save anyone from death nor rescue the weak from the strong,
36 They cannot restore sight to the blind, nor free a man from need.	36 nor restore sight to the blind, nor save anyone in trouble,
37 They will not have mercy on the widow, nor do good to orphans.	37 nor take pity on a widow, nor be generous to an orphan.
38 Their gods of wood, and of stone, and of gold, and of silver, are like stones from the mountain; and those who worship them will be confounded.	38 These wooden gods overlaid with gold and silver are about as much use as rocks cut out of themountain side. Their worshippers wil be confounded!
39 In what way, then, is it to be supposed or said that they are gods?	39 So how can anyone think or say that they are gods?
40 For even the Chaldeans themselves do not honor these, who, when they hear about a mute, unable to speak, they offer him to Bel, asking from him that he may speak,	40 'The Chaldaeans themselves do them no honour; if they find someone who is dumb and cannot speak,they present him to Bel, entreating him for the gift of speech, as though he could perceive it!
41 as if these, who are unable to move, would be able to perceive. And even they themselves, when they shall understand this, will abandon them, for, having come to their senses, they do not consider them to be gods.	41 And they are incapable of drawing the conclusion and abandoning those gods -- such is their lack ofperception.
42 Yet the women, wrapped in cords, sit by the roads, burning olive-stones.	42 Women with strings round their waists sit in the streets, burning bran like incense;
43 And when any one of them, having been attracted by someone passing by, would sleep with him, she reproaches her neighbor because she was not found worthy, as she was, nor was her cord broken.	43 when one of these has been picked up by a passer-by and been to bed with him, she then gloats overher neighbour for not having been thought as worthy as herself and for not having had her string broken.
44 But all things that occur with them are false; in what way, then, is it to be considered or said that they are gods?	44 Whatever is done for them is spurious. So how can anyone think or say that they are gods?
45 Yet they have been made by the workmen and the goldsmiths. They will be nothing else but what the priests want them to be.	45 'Made by woodworkers and goldsmiths, they are only what those workmen decide to make them.
46 For the artisans themselves, who make them, do not exist for a long time. So then, can these things, which have been made by them, be gods?	46 Their makers have not long to live themselves, so how can the things they make be gods?
47 Yet they have bequeathed falsehoods and disgrace after this to the future.	47 Their legacy to their descendants is nothing but delusion and dishonour.
48 For when they are overcome by battle or evil, the priests consider among themselves where they may hide themselves with them.	48 If war or disasters befal them, the priests discuss where best to hide themselves and these gods;
49 Therefore, why would they be perceived to be gods, who can neither free themselves from war, nor rescue themselves from evils?	49 how can anyone fail to realise that they are not gods, if they cannot save themselves from war or fromdisasters?
50 For, in as much as they are only wood, inlaid with gold and silver, so let it be known henceforth, by all nations and kings, that they are false; because it has been revealed that they are not gods, but the work of men’s hands, and there is no work of God in them.	50 And since they are only made of wood overlaid with gold or silver, it wil later become apparent thatthey are spurious; it wil be obvious to everyone, to nations as to kings, that they are not gods but the work ofhuman hands, and that there is no divine activity in them.
51 For this reason, then, it has been accepted that they are not gods, but are works of the hands of men, and no work of God is in them.	51 Does anyone still need convincing that they are not gods?
52 They have not raised up a king in the region, nor will they give rain to men.	52 'They can neither appoint a king over a country, nor give rain to humankind,
53 They will not discern a judgment for anyone, nor will they free a region from injury, because they can do nothing, like crows in the middle of heaven and earth.	53 nor regulate their own affairs, nor rescue anyone who suffers a wrong; they are as helpless as crowsbetween sky and ground.
54 And, indeed, when there happens to be a fire in the house of these gods of wood, silver, and gold, the priests will certainly run away and save themselves, but these will truly be burned up like logs in the midst of it.	54 If fire fal s on the temple of these wooden gods overlaid with gold or silver, their priests fly to safetywhile they for their part stay there like beams, to be burnt.
55 Yet they cannot withstand a king and war. In what way, then, is it to be considered or accepted that they are gods?	55 They cannot put up any resistance to a king or to enemies.
56 These gods of wood and stone, inlaid with gold and silver, can free themselves neither from thieves nor from robbers; whoever is stronger than they are,	56 So how can anyone think or say that they are gods?
57 will take up these things, the gold and the silver, and the garments which cover them, and will get away; neither will they be able to help themselves.	57 'These wooden gods overlaid with gold or silver cannot evade thieves or marauders; strong men mayrob them of their gold and silver and make off with the robes they are dressed in; yet they are powerless to helpeven themselves.
58 Therefore, it is better to be a king displaying his power, or a useful vessel in a house, about which he who owns it will boast, or a door in the house, which keeps safe what is inside, than to be these gods of falsehood.	58 Better to be a king displaying his prowess, a household pot of use to its owner, than to be thesecounterfeit gods; or merely the door of a house, protecting what is inside, than these counterfeit gods; or awooden pil ar in a palace than these counterfeit gods.
59 For the sun, and the moon, and the constellations, though they are brilliant and have been sent forth to be useful, are obedient.	59 The sun, the moon and the stars, which shine and have been given work to do, are obedient;
60 Similarly, the lightning, when it appears and is evident, and, in like manner, the wind blowing in every region,	60 similarly, the lightning, as it flashes, is a fine sight; in the same way, the wind blows across everycountry,
61 and the clouds, when God orders them to make their rounds over the whole world, each carries out what was commanded.	61 the clouds execute the order God gives them to pass over the whole earth, and the fire, sent fromabove to consume mountain and forest, carries out its orders.
62 Furthermore, the fire, having been sent from above so that it may consume mountains and woods, does what it has been instructed to do. Yet these are not similar, neither in splendor, nor in power, to any one of them.	62 Now these gods are not their equals, either in beauty or in power.
63 From this, it should neither be supposed, nor said, that they are gods; since they are neither able to give judgment, nor to accomplish anything for men.	63 So, no one can think or say that they are gods, powerless as they are to administer justice or to doanyone any good.
64 And so, knowing that they are not gods, therefore, have no fear of them.	64 Therefore, knowing that they are not gods, do not be afraid of them.
65 For they can neither curse kings, nor bless them.	65 'For they can neither curse nor bless kings,
66 Besides, they show no signs in heaven to the nations; they neither shine like the sun, nor give light like the moon.	66 nor produce signs in heaven for the nations, nor shine like the sun, nor shed light like the moon.
67 Beasts are better than they are, for they can flee under a covering, and so protect themselves.	67 The animals are better off than they are, being able to look after themselves by making for cover.
68 Therefore, in no way is it clear to us that they are gods; because of this, you should not fear them.	68 There is not the slightest shred of evidence that they are gods; so do not be afraid of them!
69 For just as a scarecrow in a cucumber field protects nothing, so are their gods of wood, and silver, and inlaid gold.	69 'Their wooden gods overlaid with gold and silver are like a scarecrow in a field of cucumbers --protecting nothing.
70 They are just the same as a white thorn in a garden, on which all the birds sit; they are even like a corpse thrown out into the darkness, just so are these gods of wood, and inlaid gold, and inlaid silver.	70 Or again, their wooden gods overlaid with gold and silver are like a thorn-bush in a garden -- any kind of bird may perch on it -- or like a corpse thrown out into the dark.
71 By the purple, and likewise the Royal purple, moth-eaten garments upon them, you will then know that they are not gods. And finally, they themselves are consumed and will be a disgrace in the region.	71 From the purple and linen rotting on their backs you can tell that they are not gods; and in the end,eaten away, they wil be the dishonour of the country.
72 Better is the just man who has no such images, for he will be far from disgrace.”	72 Better, then, someone upright who has no idols; dishonour wil never come near him.'