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 righteous man perisheth, and no one layeth it to heart; And pious men are taken away, and none considereth That because of the evil the righteous man is taken away.
2 Let peace arrive. Let he who has walked in his righteousness find rest on his bed.
He entereth into peace; He resteth in his bed, Every one that walketh in uprightness.
3 But come here, you sons of the prophetess, you offspring of an adulterous man and a fornicating woman.
But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, Ye brood of the adulterer and the harlot!
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 ye make your sport, And at whom do ye make wide the mouth, And draw out the tongue? Are ye not rebellious children, a treacherous brood?
5 who are being consoled by idols under every leafy tree, immolating little children at the torrents, under the high rocks?
Burning with lust for idols Under every green tree, Slaying children in the valleys, Under the clefts 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?
With the smooth stones of the valley is thy portion; These, these are thy lot; Here thou pourest out thy drink-offering, And presentest thy meat-offering; Can I see such things, and be at rest?
7 Upon a high and lofty mountain, you have placed your bed, and you have ascended to that place to immolate victims.
Upon a high and lofty mountain settest thou thy bed; Thither dost thou go up to offer sacrifice;
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.
Behind the doors and the posts dost thou place thy memorial; Thou departest from me, and uncoverest, and ascendest, and enlargest thy bed. Thou makest an agreement with them; Thou desirest their bed; Thou choosest a place.
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)
Thou goest to the king with oil, And takest much precious perfume; Thou sendest thine ambassadors afar, Yea, down to the under-world. (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.
In the length of thy journeys thou hast wearied thyself, But thou sayest not, “I will desist”; Thou yet findest life in thy hand, Therefore thou art not discouraged.
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.
On account of whom art thou anxious, and of whom art thou afraid, that thou hast proved false, And hast not remembered me, nor laid it to heart? Behold, I have been silent a long time; Therefore thou fearest me not.
12 I will announce your justice, and your works will not benefit you.
But now I announce thy deliverance, And thy works do not profit thee.
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.
When thou criest, let thy host of idols deliver thee! But the wind shall bear them all away; A breath shall take them off; But he that putteth his trust in me Shall possess the land, And shall inherit my holy mountain.
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!”
Men shall say, Cast up, cast up, prepare the road; Remove every obstruction from 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 thus saith the high and lofty One That inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place; With him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit; To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
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 contend forever, Nor will I be always angry; For life would fail before me, And the souls which I created.
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.
For the guilt of his covetousness I was angry; I smote him, I hid myself, and was angry; But yet he went on perversely in the way of his heart.
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, yet will I heal him; I will guide him, and I will restore comfort To him and to his mourners;
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 create the fruit of the lips. Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is nigh, Saith Jehovah; I will heal him.
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 wicked is like the troubled sea, Which cannot rest, Whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
21 There is no peace for the impious, says the Lord God.
There is no peace, saith my God, for the wicked.
