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.

The righteous has perished, And there is none laying [it] to heart, And men of kindness are gathered, Without any considering that from the face of evil The righteous one is gathered.

2 Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest, lying down in death.

He enters into peace, they rest on their beds, [Each] is going straightforward.

3 “But come here, you sons of a sorceress, you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes!

“And you, come near here, O sons of a sorceress, seed of an adulterer, Even you commit whoredom.

4 Whom are you mocking? At whom do you snarl and stick out your tongue? Are you not children of transgression, offspring of deceit,

Against whom do you sport yourselves? Against whom do you enlarge the mouth [And] prolong the tongue? Are you not children of transgression? A false 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 are inflamed among oaks, under every green tree, Slaughtering the children in valleys, Under clefts of 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?

Your portion [is] among the smooth things of a brook, They [are] your lot, You have also poured out an oblation to them, You have caused a present to ascend, Am I comforted in these things?

7 On a high and lofty hill you have made your bed, and there you went up to offer sacrifices.

On a mountain, high and exalted, You have set your bed, You have also gone up there to make a sacrifice.

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 door, and the post, You have set up your memorial, For you have removed from Me, and go up, You have enlarged your bed, And cut [a covenant] with them, You have loved their bed, the station you saw,

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 go joyfully to the king in ointment, And multiply your perfumes, And send your ambassadors far off, And humble yourself to Sheol. (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.

You have labored in the greatness of your way, You have not said, It is desperate. You have found the life of your hand, Therefore you have not been sick.

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?

And of whom have you been afraid, and fear, That you lie, and have not remembered Me? You have not laid [it] to your heart, Am I not silent, even from of old? And you do not fear Me?

12 I will expose your righteousness and your works, and they will not profit you.

I declare your righteousness, and your works, And they do not profit you.

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 you cry, let your gatherings deliver you, And wind carries all of them away, Vanity takes away, And whoever is trusting in Me inherits the land, And possesses 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 He has said, “Raise up, raise up, prepare a way, Lift a stumbling-block 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.

For thus said the high and exalted One, Inhabiting eternity, and His Name [is] holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, And with the bruised and humble of spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of bruised ones,

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.

For I do not strive for all time, nor am I angry forever, For the spirit is feeble before Me, And the souls I have made.

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.

For the iniquity of his dishonest gain, I have been angry, and I strike him, Hiding—and am angry, And he goes on turning back in the way of his heart.

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 I heal him, indeed, I lead him, And repay comforts to him and to his mourning ones.

19 bringing praise to their lips. Peace, peace to those far and near,” says the LORD, “and I will heal them.”

Producing the fruit of the lips, Peace, peace, to the far off, and to the near, And I have healed him,” said YHWH.

20 But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea, for it cannot be still, and its waves churn up mire and muck.

And the wicked [are] as the driven out sea, For it is not able to rest, And its waters cast out filth and mire.

21 “There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”

“There is no peace,” said my God, “for the wicked!”