Isaiah 57

1 The just man perishes, and there is no one who acknowledges it in his heart; and men of mercy are taken away, for there is no one who understands. For the just man has been taken away before the face of malice.

The upright man goes to his death, and no one gives a thought to it; and god-fearing men are taken away, and no one is troubled by it; for the upright man is taken away because of evil-doing, and goes into peace.

2 Let peace arrive. Let he who has walked in his righteousness find rest on his bed.

They are at rest in their last resting-places, every one going straight before him.

3 But come here, you sons of the prophetess, you offspring of an adulterous man and a fornicating woman.

But come near, you sons of her who is wise in secret arts, the seed of her who is false to her husband, and of the loose woman.

4 Whom are you mocking? Against whom have you opened your mouth wide and wagged your tongue? Are you not sons of wickedness, a lying offspring,

Of whom do you make sport? against whom is your mouth open wide and your tongue put out? are you not uncontrolled children, a false seed,

5 who are being consoled by idols under every leafy tree, immolating little children at the torrents, under the high rocks?

You who are burning with evil desire among the oaks, under every green tree; putting children to death in the valleys, under the cracks of the rocks?

6 Your portion is in the currents of the torrent; this is your lot! And you yourselves have poured out libations to them; you have offered sacrifice. Should I not be angry over these things?

Among the smooth stones of the valley is your heritage; they, even they, are your part: even to them have you made a drink offering and a meal offering. Is it possible for such things to be overlooked by me?

7 Upon a high and lofty mountain, you have placed your bed, and you have ascended to that place to immolate victims.

You have put your bed on a high mountain: there you went up to make your offering.

8 And behind the door, and beyond the post, you have set up your memorial. For you uncovered yourself next to me, and you received an adulterer. You widened your bed, and you formed a pact with them. You loved their bed with an open hand.

And on the back of the doors and on the pillars you have put your sign: for you have been false to me with another; you have made your bed wide, and made an agreement with them; you had a desire for their bed where you saw it

9 And you have adorned yourself for the king with ointments, and you have increased your cosmetics. You have sent your representatives to distant places, and you have debased yourself all the way to Hell. (Sheol h7585)

And you went to Melech with oil and much perfume, and you sent your representatives far off, and went as low as the underworld. (Sheol h7585)

10 You have been wearied by the multitude of your own ways. Yet you did not say, “I will cease.” You have found life by your own hand; because of this, you have not prayed.

You were tired with your long journeys; but you did not say, There is no hope: you got new strength, and so you were not feeble.

11 For whose sake have you been anxiously afraid, so that you would lie and not be mindful of me, nor consider me in your heart? For I am silent, and I am like someone who does not see, and so you have forgotten me.

And of whom were you in fear, so that you were false, and did not keep me in mind, or give thought to it? Have I not been quiet, keeping myself secret, and so you were not in fear of me?

12 I will announce your justice, and your works will not benefit you.

I will make clear what your righteousness is like and your works; you will have no profit in them.

13 When you cry out, let your followers free you. But the wind will carry them all away; a breeze will take them up. But he who has faith in me will inherit the earth and will possess my holy mountain.

Your false gods will not keep you safe in answer to your cry; but the wind will take them, they will be gone like a breath: but he who puts his hope in me will take the land, and will have my holy mountain as his heritage.

14 And I will say: “Make way! Grant passage! Move to the side of the path! Take the obstacles out of the way of my people!”

And I will say, Make it high, make it high, get ready the way, take the stones out of the way of my people.

15 For this is said by the Most High, the Sublime One, who dwells in eternity. And his name is Holy, for he dwells in the exalted and holy place, and he acts with a restrained and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

For this is the word of him who is high and lifted up, whose resting-place is eternal, whose name is Holy: my resting-place is in the high and holy place, and with him who is crushed and poor in spirit, to give life to the spirit of the poor, and to make strong the heart of the crushed.

16 For I will not contend unceasingly, and I will not be angry to the end. For I will exhale my breath, and the Spirit will go forth from my face.

For I will not give punishment for ever, or be angry without end: for from me breath goes out; and I it was who made the souls.

17 Because of the iniquity of his avarice, I was angry, and I struck him down. I concealed my face from you, and I was angry. And he went astray by wandering in his heart.

I was quickly angry with his evil ways, and sent punishment on him, veiling my face in wrath: and he went on, turning his heart from me.

18 I saw his ways, and I healed him, and I led him back again, and I restored consolations to him and to those who mourn for him.

I have seen his ways, and I will make him well: I will give him rest, comforting him and his people who are sad.

19 I created the fruit of the lips: peace, peace to him who is far away, and peace to him who is near, said the Lord, and I healed him.

I will give the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace, to him who is near and to him who is far off, says the Lord; and I will make him well.

20 But the impious are like the raging sea, which is not able to be quieted, and its waves stir up dirt and mud.

But the evil-doers are like the troubled sea, for which there is no rest, and its waters send up earth and waste.

21 There is no peace for the impious, says the Lord God.

There is no peace, says my God, for the evil-doers.