Isaiah 57
1 The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart; devout men are swept away, while no one considers that the righteous are guided from the presence of evil.
See how the just man has perished, and no one lays [it] to heart: and righteous men are taken away, and no one considers: for the righteous has been removed out of the way of injustice.
2 Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest, lying down in death.
His burial shall be in peace: he has been removed out of the way.
3 “But come here, you sons of a sorceress, you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes!
But draw ye near hither, ye lawless children, the seed of adulterers and the harlot.
4 Whom are you mocking? At whom do you snarl and stick out your tongue? Are you not children of transgression, offspring of deceit,
Wherein have ye been rioting? and against whom have ye opened your mouth, and against whom have ye loosed your tongue? are ye not children of perdition? a lawless seed?
5 who burn with lust among the oaks, under every luxuriant tree, who slaughter your children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?
who call upon idols under the leafy trees, slaying your children in the valleys among the rocks?
6 Your portion is among the smooth stones of the valley; indeed, they are your lot. Even to them you have poured out a drink offering and offered a grain offering. Should I relent because of these?
That is thy portion, this is thy lot: and to them hast thou poured forth drink-offerings, and to these hast thou offered meat-offerings. Shall I not therefore be angry for these things?
7 On a high and lofty hill you have made your bed, and there you went up to offer sacrifices.
On a lofty and high mountain, there is thy bed, and thither thou carriedst up thy meat-offerings:
8 Behind the door and doorpost you have set up your memorial. Forsaking Me, you uncovered your bed; you climbed up and opened it wide. And you have made a pact with those whose bed you have loved; you have gazed upon their nakedness.
and behind the posts of thy door thou didst place thy memorials. Didst thou think that if thou shouldest depart from me, thou wouldest gain? thou hast loved those that lay with thee;
9 You went to Molech with oil and multiplied your perfumes. You have sent your envoys a great distance; you have descended even to Sheol itself. (Sheol h7585)
and thou hast multiplied thy whoredom with them, and thou hast increased the number of them that are far from thee, and hast sent ambassadors beyond thy borders, and hast been debased even to hell. (Sheol h7585)
10 You are wearied by your many journeys, but you did not say, “There is no hope!” You found renewal of your strength; therefore you did not grow weak.
Thou has wearied thyself with thy many ways; yet thou saidst not, I will cease to strengthen myself: for thou has done these things; therefore thou has not supplicated me.
11 Whom have you dreaded and feared, so that you lied and failed to remember Me or take this to heart? Is it not because I have long been silent that you do not fear Me?
Through dread of whom hast thou feared, and lied against me, and has not remembered, nor considered me, nor regarded me, yea, though when I see thee I pass thee by, yet thou has not feared me.
12 I will expose your righteousness and your works, and they will not profit you.
And I will declare thy righteousness, and thy sins, which shall not profit thee.
13 When you cry out, let your companies of idols deliver you! Yet the wind will carry off all of them, a breath will take them away. But he who seeks refuge in Me will inherit the land and possess My holy mountain.”
When thou criest out, let them deliver thee in thine affliction: for all these the wind shall take, and the tempest shall carry [them] away: but they that cleave to me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain.
14 And it will be said, “Build it up, build it up, prepare the way, take every obstacle out of the way of My people.”
And they shall say, Clear the ways before him, and take up the stumbling-blocks out of the way of my people.
15 For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and humble in spirit, to restore the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the contrite.
Thus saith the Most High, who dwells on high for ever, Holy in the holies, is his name, the Most High resting in the holies, and giving patience to the faint-hearted, and giving life to the broken-hearted:
16 For I will not accuse you forever, nor will I always be angry; for then the spirit of man would grow weak before Me, with the breath of those I have made.
I will not take vengeance on you for ever, neither will I be always angry with you: for my Spirit shall go forth from me, and I have created all breath.
17 I was enraged by his sinful greed, so I struck him and hid My face in anger; yet he kept turning back to the desires of his heart.
On account of sin for a little while I grieved him, and smote him, and turned away my face from him; and he was grieved, and he went on sorrowful in his ways.
18 I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to him and his mourners,
I have seen his ways, and healed him, and comforted him, and given him true comfort;
19 bringing praise to their lips. Peace, peace to those far and near,” says the LORD, “and I will heal them.”
peace upon peace to them that are far off, and to them that are nigh: and the Lord has said, I will heal them.
20 But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea, for it cannot be still, and its waves churn up mire and muck.
But the unrighteous shall be tossed as troubled waves, and shall not be able to rest.
21 “There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”
There is no joy to the ungodly, said God.
