Parallel Verses

Julia Smith Translation

Wo to him striving with him forming him! the potsherd with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him forming it, What wilt thou make? and thy work, No hands to it?

New American Standard Bible

“Woe to the one who quarrels with his Maker—
An earthenware vessel among the vessels of earth!
Will the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you doing?’
Or the thing you are making say, ‘He has no hands’?

King James Version

Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?

Holman Bible

“Woe to the one who argues with his Maker—
one clay pot among many.
Does clay say to the one forming it,
‘What are you making?’
Or does your work say,
‘He has no hands’?

International Standard Version

"Woe to the one who quarrels with his makers, a mere potsherd with the potsherds of the earth! Woe to the one who says to the one forming him, "What are you making?' or "Your work has no human hands?'!

A Conservative Version

Woe to him who strives with his maker, a potsherd among the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him that fashions it, What are thou making? or thy work, He has no hands?

American Standard Version

Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! a potsherd among the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?

Amplified


“Woe (judgment is coming) to him who quarrels with his Maker—
A [worthless] piece of broken pottery among other broken pieces [equally worthless]!
Shall the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you doing?’
Or does the thing say, ‘He has no hands’?

Bible in Basic English

Cursed is he who has an argument with his Maker, the pot which has an argument with the Potter! Will the wet earth say to him who is working with it, What are you doing, that your work has nothing by which it may be gripped?

Darby Translation

Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let a potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that formeth it, What makest thou? Or thy work, He hath no hands?

King James 2000

Woe unto him that strives with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashions it, What do you make? or of your work, He has no hands?

Lexham Expanded Bible

Woe [to the] one who strives with his {maker}, a potsherd among potsherds of earth! Does [the] clay say to the one who fashions it, 'What are you making?' and 'Your work has no hands'?

Modern King James verseion

Woe to him who fights with the One who formed him, a potsherd among the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to its former, What are you making? Or your work, He has no hands?

Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale

Woe be unto him that chideth with his maker, the potsherd with the potter. Sayeth the clay to the potter, "What makest thou?" or "Thy work serveth for nothing?"

NET Bible

One who argues with his creator is in grave danger, one who is like a mere shard among the other shards on the ground! The clay should not say to the potter, "What in the world are you doing? Your work lacks skill!"

New Heart English Bible

Woe to him who strives with his Maker, a clay pot among the clay pots of the earth. Shall the clay ask him who fashions it, 'What are you making?' or your work, 'He has no hands?'

The Emphasized Bible

Alas for him who contendeth with his Fashioner, - A potsherd, should contend with the potsherds of the ground! Shall it be said by the clay, unto him that is fashioning it, What wouldst thou make? Or, thy work say, of thee, He hath no hands?

Webster

Woe to him that contendeth with his Maker! Let the potsherd contend with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?

World English Bible

Woe to him who strives with his Maker -- a clay pot among the clay pots of the earth! Shall the clay ask him who fashions it, 'What are you making?' or your work, 'He has no hands?'

Youngs Literal Translation

Woe to him who is striving with his Former, (A potsherd with potsherds of the ground!) Doth clay say to its Framer, 'What dost thou?' And thy work, 'He hath no hands?'

Interlinear

English(KJV)
Strong's
Root Form
Definition
Usage
Woe
הוי 
Howy 
woe, Ah, Ho, O, Alas
Usage: 50

רוּב ריבo 
Riyb 
Usage: 66

with his Maker
יצר 
Yatsar 
Usage: 62

חרשׂ 
Cheres 
Usage: 17

strive with the potsherds
חרשׂ 
Cheres 
Usage: 17

of the earth
אדמה 
'adamah 
Usage: 225

Shall the clay
חמר 
Chomer 
Usage: 31

יצר 
Yatsar 
Usage: 62

thou or thy work
פּעל 
Po`al 
Usage: 37

Prayers for Isaiah 45:9

Context Readings

Cyrus, God's Instrument

8 Drop, ye heavens, from above, and the clouds shall shake out justice: the earth shall open, and they shall bring forth salvation, and justice shall spring up together; I Jehovah created it 9 Wo to him striving with him forming him! the potsherd with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him forming it, What wilt thou make? and thy work, No hands to it? 10 Wo to him saying to the father, What wilt thou beget? and to the woman, What wilt thou bring forth?

Cross References

Isaiah 29:16

Shall not your perverting be reckoned as the potter's clay? for shall the work say to him making it, He made me not? andhebeing formed, say to him forming, He understood not?

Isaiah 64:8

And now, O Jehovah, thou our Father; we the clay and thou forming us; and we all the work of thy hand.

Romans 9:20-21

Surely, O man, who art thou replying against God? Shall the formation say to him having formed, Why hest thou made me so

Job 40:8-9

Wilt thou also annul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me so that thou shalt be just?

Proverbs 21:30

No wisdom and no understanding, and no counsel against Jehovah.

Isaiah 10:15

Shall the axe vaunt itself against him hewing with it? shall the saw magnify itself against him moving it up and down? as the rod moving up and down with those lifting it up; as the lifting up of the rod not wood.

Jeremiah 18:6

As this potter shall I not be able to do to you, O house of Israel? says Jehovah. Behold, as the clay in the hand of the potter, thus are ye in my hand, O house of Israel.

Jeremiah 50:24

I laid snares for thee and also thou wert taken, O Babel, and thou knewest not: thou wert found and thou wert also taken, for thou didst contend against Jehovah.

Exodus 9:16-17

And yet for this I raised thee up in order to cause thee to see my strength; and for the sake of declaring my name in all the earth.

Job 15:24-26

Straitness and distress shall terrify him; they shall overpower him as a king ready for war.

Psalm 2:2-9

The kings of the earth will place themselves, and the princes sat down together against Jehovah and against his Messiah.

1 Corinthians 10:22

Do we emulate the Lord? are we stronger than he?

King James Version Public Domain

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org

American Standard Version Public Domain

NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. NetBible

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain