44:12 A blacksmith works with his tool 1
and forges metal over the coals.
He forms it 2 with hammers;
he makes it with his strong arm.
He gets hungry and loses his energy; 3
he drinks no water and gets tired.
44:13 A carpenter takes measurements; 4
he marks out an outline of its form; 5
he scrapes 6 it with chisels,
and marks it with a compass.
He patterns it after the human form, 7
like a well-built human being,
and puts it in a shrine. 8
44:14 He cuts down cedars
and acquires a cypress 9 or an oak.
He gets 10 trees from the forest;
he plants a cedar 11 and the rain makes it grow.
44:15 A man uses it to make a fire; 12
he takes some of it and warms himself.
Yes, he kindles a fire and bakes bread.
Then he makes a god and worships it;
he makes an idol and bows down to it. 13
44:16 Half of it he burns in the fire –
over that half he cooks 14 meat;
he roasts a meal and fills himself.
Yes, he warms himself and says,
‘Ah! I am warm as I look at the fire.’