Isaiah 57

1 The righteous man perishes, and no man lays it to heart. And merciful men are taken away; none considering that the righteous man is taken away from the evil.

The just perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart, and men of mercy are taken away, because there is none that understandeth; for the just man is taken away from before the face of evil.

2 He enters into peace. They rest in their beds, each one who walks in his uprightness.

Let peace come, let him rest in his bed that hath walked in his uprightness.

3 But draw near here, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the harlot.

But draw near hither, you sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer, and of the harlot.

4 Against whom do ye sport yourselves, against whom ye make a wide mouth, and put out the tongue? Are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood,

Upon whom have you jested? upon whom have you opened your mouth wide, and put out your tongue? are not you wicked children, a false seed,

5 ye who inflame yourselves among the oaks, under every green tree, who kill the children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?

Who seek your comfort in idols under every green tree, sacrificing children in the torrents, under the high rocks?

6 Among the smooth stones of the valley is thy portion. They, they are thy lot, even to them thou have poured a drink offering; thou have offered an oblation. Shall I be appeased for these things?

In the parts of the torrent is thy portion, this is thy lot: and thou hast poured out libations to them, thou hast offered sacrifice. Shall I not be angry at these things?

7 Upon a high and lofty mountain thou have set thy bed. Thou also went up there to offer sacrifice.

Upon a high and lofty mountain thou hast laid thy bed, and hast gone up thither to offer victims.

8 And behind the doors and the posts thou have set up thy memorial. For thou have uncovered thyself to another than me, and have gone up. Thou have enlarged thy bed, and made thee a covenant with them. Thou loved their bed where thou saw it.

And behind the door, and behind the post thou best set up thy remembrance: for thou hast discovered thyself near me, and hast received an adulterer: thou hast enlarged thy bed, and made a covenant with them: thou hast loved their bed with open hand.

9 And thou went to the king with oil, and increased thy perfumes, and sent thine ambassadors far off, and debased thyself even to Sheol. (Sheol h7585)

And thou hast adorned thyself for the king with ointment, and hast multiplied thy perfumes. Thou hast sent thy messengers far off, and wast debased even to hell. (Sheol h7585)

10 Thou were wearied with the length of thy way, yet thou did not say, It is in vain. Thou found a quickening of thy strength, therefore thou were not faint.

Thou hast been wearied in the multitude of thy ways: yet thou saidst not: I will rest: thou hast found life of thy hand, therefore thou hast not asked.

11 And of whom have thou been afraid and in fear, that thou lie, and have not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? Have I not held my peace even of long time, and thou do not fear me?

For whom hast thou been solicitous and afraid, that thou hast lied, and hast not been mindful of me, nor thought on me in thy heart? for I am silent, and as one that seeth not, and thou hast forgotten me.

12 I will declare thy righteousness. And as for thy works, they shall not profit thee.

I will declare thy justice, and thy works shall not profit thee.

13 When thou cry, let those whom thou have gathered deliver thee. But the wind shall take them; a breath shall carry them all away. But he who takes refuge in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain.

When thou shalt cry, let thy companies deliver thee, but the wind shall carry them all off, a breeze shall take them away, but he that putteth his trust in me, shall inherit the land, and shall possess my holy mount.

14 And he will say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way. Take up the stumbling-block out of the way of my people.

And I will say: Make a way: give free passage, turn out of the path, take away the stumblingblocks out of the way of my people.

15 For thus says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, also with him who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

For thus saith the High and the Eminent that inhabiteth eternity: and his name is Holy, who dwelleth in the high and holy place, and with a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

16 For I will not contend forever, nor will I always be angry, for the spirit would faint before me, and the souls that I have made.

For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be angry unto the end: because the spirit shall go forth from my face, and breathings I will make.

17 For the iniquity of his covetousness I was angry, and smote him. I hid my face and was angry, and he went on backsliding in the way of his heart.

For the iniquity of his covetousness I was angry, and I struck him: I hid my face from thee, and was angry: and he went away wandering in his own heart.

18 I have seen his ways, and will heal him. I will lead him also, and restore comforts to him and to his mourners.

I saw his ways, and I healed him, and brought him back, and restored comforts to him, and to them that mourn for him.

19 I create the fruit of the lips. Peace, peace, to him who is far off and to him who is near, says Jehovah, and I will heal him.

I created the fruit of the lips, peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, said the Lord, and I healed him.

20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, for it cannot rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt.

But the wicked are like the raging sea, which cannot rest, and the waves thereof cast up dirt and mire.

21 There is no peace, says my God, to the wicked.

There is no peace to the wicked, saith the Lord God.