< 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.
2 He enters into peace. They rest in their beds, each one who walks in his uprightness.
3 But draw near here, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and 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,
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?
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?
7 Upon a high and lofty mountain thou have set thy bed. Thou also went up there to offer sacrifice.
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.
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 )
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.
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?
12 I will declare thy righteousness. And as for thy works, they 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
18 I have seen his ways, and will heal him. I will lead him also, and restore comforts to him and to his mourners.
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.
20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, for it cannot rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt.
21 There is no peace, says my God, to the wicked.
