Baruch 6:10–18

¹⁰Sometimes also the priests take gold and silver from their gods, and spend it on themselves.↗

¹¹They will even give some of it to the common prostitutes. They dress them like men with garments, even the gods of silver, gods of gold, and gods of wood.↗

¹²Yet these gods can’t save themselves from rust and moths, even though they are covered with purple garments.↗

¹³They wipe their faces because of the dust of the temple, which is thick upon them.↗

¹⁴And he who can’t put to death one who offends against him holds a sceptre, as though he were judge of a country.↗

¹⁵He has also a dagger in his right hand, and an axe, but can’t deliver himself from war and robbers.↗

¹⁶By this they are known not to be gods. Therefore don’t fear them.↗

¹⁷For like a vessel that a man uses is worth nothing when it is broken, even so it is with their gods. When they are set up in the temples, their eyes are full of dust through the feet of those who come in.↗

¹⁸As the courts are secured on every side upon him who offends the king, as being committed to suffer death, even so the priests secure their temples with doors, with locks, and bars, lest they be carried off by robbers.↗