Isaiah 57

1 The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart; and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from before the evil.

The righteous perish, but no one considers it, and the people of covenant faithfulness are gathered away, but no one understands that the righteous is gathered away from the evil.

2 He entereth into peace: they rest in their beds, [each one] that hath walked in his uprightness.

He enters into peace; they rest in their beds, those who walk in their uprightness.

3 But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the harlot.

But come here, you sons of the sorceress, children of the adulterer and the woman who has prostituted herself.

4 Against whom do ye sport yourselves? Against whom do ye make a wide mouth, [and] draw out the tongue? Are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood,

Whom are you merrily mocking? Against whom are you opening the mouth and sticking out the tongue? Are you not children of rebellion, children of deceit?

5 inflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clefts of the rocks?

You heat yourselves up sleeping together under the oaks, under every green tree, you who kill your children in the dry riverbeds, under the rocky overhangs.

6 Among the smooth [stones] of the torrent is thy portion; they, they are thy lot: even to them hast thou poured out a drink-offering, thou hast offered an oblation. Shall I be comforted myself as to these things?

Among the smooth things of the river valley are the things that have been assigned to you. They are the object of your devotion. You pour out your drink offering to them and raise up a grain offering. In these things should I take pleasure?

7 Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither didst thou go up to offer sacrifice.

You prepared your bed on a high mountain; you also went up there to offer sacrifices.

8 Behind the doors also and the posts hast thou set up thy remembrance: for apart from me, thou hast uncovered thyself, and art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed, and hast made agreement with them; thou lovedst their bed, thou sawest their nakedness.

Behind the door and the doorposts you set up your symbols; you deserted me, made yourselves naked, and went up; you made your bed wide. You made a covenant with them; you loved their beds; you saw their private parts.

9 And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst multiply thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers afar off, and didst debase thyself unto Sheol. (Sheol h7585)

You went to Molech with oil; you multiplied perfumes. You send your ambassadors far away; you went down to Sheol. (Sheol h7585)

10 Thou wast wearied by the multitude of thy ways; [but] thou saidst not, It is of no avail. Thou didst find a quickening of thy strength; therefore thou wast not sick [of it].

You were tired from your long journey, but you never said, “It is hopeless.” You found life in your hand; therefore you did not weaken.

11 And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and hast not remembered me, nor taken it to heart? Have not I even of long time held my peace, and thou fearest me not?

“Whom are you worried about? Whom do you fear so much that has caused you to act so deceitfully, so much that you would not remember me or think about me? Because I was silent for so long, you are no longer afraid of me.

12 I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; and they shall not profit thee.

I will proclaim all your righteous acts and tell all that you have done, but they will not help you.

13 When thou criest, let them that are gathered by thee deliver thee! But a wind shall carry them all away, a breath shall take them; but he that putteth his trust in me shall inherit the land, and possess my holy mountain.

When you cry out, let your collection of idols rescue you. Instead the wind will carry them all away, a breath will carry them all away. Yet he who takes refuge in me will inherit the land and will take possession of my holy mountain.

14 And it shall be said, Cast up, cast up, prepare the way, take up the stumbling-blocks out of the way of my people.

He will say, 'Build, build! Clear a way! Remove all the stumbling blocks from the path of my people!'”

15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, and whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy [place], and with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

For this is what the high and elevated One says, who lives eternally, whose name is holy, “I live in the exalted and holy place, with him also that is of a crushed and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble ones, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

16 For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth; for the spirit would fail before me, and the souls [which] I have made.

For I will not accuse forever, nor will I be angry forever, for then man's spirit would faint before me, the lives that I have made.

17 For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him; I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on backslidingly in the way of his heart.

Because of the sin of his violent gain, I was angry, and I punished him; I hid my face and was angry, but he went backward in the way of his heart.

18 I have seen his ways, and will heal him; and I will lead him, and will restore comforts unto him and to those of his that mourn.

I have seen his ways, but I will heal him. I will lead him and comfort and console those who mourn for him,

19 I create the fruit of the lips: peace, peace to him [that is] afar off, and to him [that is] nigh, saith Jehovah; and I will heal him.

and I create the fruit of the lips. Peace, peace, to those who are far off and to those who are near—says Yahweh—I will heal them.

20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, which cannot rest, and whose waters cast up mire and dirt.

But the wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest, and its waters churn up mire and mud.

21 There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.

There is no peace for the wicked one—says God.”