Isaiah 57
1 The righteous perisheth, and no man considereth it in heart: and mercifull men are taken away, and no man vnderstandeth that the righteous is taken away from the euill to come.
Good people die, and nobody cares; the faithful pass away, and nobody thinks that they were being protected from evil.
2 Peace shall come: they shall rest in their beds, euery one that walketh before him.
Those who follow what's right rest in peace; they find rest as they lie down in death.
3 But you witches children, come hither, the seede of the adulterer and of the whore.
But as for you, children of fortune-tellers, the product of adultery and prostitution—come here!
4 On whome haue ye iested? vpon whome haue ye gaped and thrust out your tongue? are not ye rebellious children, and a false seede?
Who are you making fun of when you make sneering faces and stick out your tongues? Aren't you the children of sin and lies?
5 Inflamed with idoles vnder euery greene tree? and sacrificing the children in the valleys vnder the tops of the rocks?
You're the ones having pagan orgies under the oak trees, under every green tree. You sacrifice your children in the valleys and among the rocky peaks.
6 Thy portion is in the smooth stones of the riuer: they, they are thy lot: euen to them hast thou powred a drinke offering: thou hast offered a sacrifice. Should I delite in these?
You have chosen to worship the smooth stones from the streams of the valleys—that's the choice you've made! You have poured out drink offerings to these idols—you have presented them with grain offerings. Should that make me happy?
7 Thou hast made thy bed vpon a very hie mountaine: thou wentest vp thither, euen thither wentest thou to offer sacrifice.
You have committed adultery by idol worship on every high mountain; you went there to offer pagan sacrifices.
8 Behinde the doores also and postes hast thou set vp thy remembrance: for thou hast discouered thy selfe to another then me, and wentest vp, and diddest enlarge thy bed, and make a couenant betweene thee and them, and louedst their bed in euery place where thou sawest it.
You've placed your pagan signs behind your doors and on your doorposts. Deserting me, you took off your clothes and climbed into bed, committing yourselves to those you love to be in bed with. You've seen them naked.
9 Thou wentest to the Kings with oyle, and diddest increase thine oyntments and sende thy messengers farre off, and diddest humble thy selfe vnto hell. (Sheol h7585)
You went to offer Molech olive oil, covering yourself with many perfumes. You sent your messengers to distant places; you even went down into the world of the dead. (Sheol h7585)
10 Thou weariedst thy selfe in thy manifolde iourneys, yet saydest thou not, There is no hope: thou hast found life by thine hand, therefore thou wast not grieued.
You wore yourselves out by such running around, but you didn't give up and say, “It's hopeless!” You found new strength and so didn't become weak.
11 And whome diddest thou reuerence or feare, seeing thou hast lyed vnto me, and hast not remembred me, neither set thy minde thereon? is it not because I holde my peace, and that of long time? therefore thou fearest not me.
Who were you scared of, who frightened you so much that you lied to me, didn't remember me, didn't even think about me? Is it because I've been quiet for so long that you don't even fear me?
12 I will declare thy righteousnes and thy workes, and they shall not profite thee.
I'm going to let everyone know about how you're so good and the things you do—but they won't help you!
13 When thou cryest, let them that thou hast gathered together deliuer thee: but the winde shall take them all away: vanitie shall pull them away: but he that trusteth in me, shall inherite the lande, and shall possesse mine holy Mountaine.
When you cry out for help, let's see if your collection of idols will save you! The wind will blow them all away, just a breath and they're gone! But whoever comes to me for help will own the land and possess my holy mountain.
14 And he shall say, Cast vp, cast vp: prepare the way: take vp the stumbling blocks out of the way of my people.
He will say, Build a highway, remove anything that's in the way of my people.
15 For thus sayth he that is hie and excellent, he that inhabiteth the eternitie, whose Name is the Holy one, I dwell in the high and holy place: with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirite to reuiue the spirite of the humble, and to giue life to them that are of a contrite heart.
This is what the one who is high above all says, he who lives in eternity, whose name is holy: I live in a high and holy place, together with those who repent and who act humbly, restoring their spirits and encouraging them.
16 For I will not contende for euer, neither will I be alwayes wroth, for the spirite should fayle before me: and I haue made the breath.
I won't fight with you forever; I won't be angry with you forever. Otherwise you'd lose heart, the very people I gave life to.
17 For his wicked couetousnesse I am angry with him, and haue smitten him: I hid mee and was angry, yet he went away, and turned after the way of his owne heart.
Yes, I was angry with these sinful, greedy people so I punished them. I was angry, so I hid myself from them, but they went on their own rebellious way, doing whatever they wanted.
18 I haue seene his wayes, and wil heale him: I wil leade him also, and restore comfort vnto him, and to those that lament him.
I know what they're doing, but I will heal them. I will lead them and comfort those who mourn,
19 I create the fruite of the lips, to be peace: peace vnto them that are farre off, and to them that are neere, sayth the Lord: for I will heale him.
so they will able to say thankyou. The Lord declares, Peace, peace, to those who are far away and those who are near. I will heal you.
20 But the wicked are like the raging sea, that can not rest, whose waters cast vp myre and dirt.
But the wicked are like the sea that is tossed about, never keeping still, churning up the mud and muck with its waves.
21 There is no peace, sayth my God, to the wicked.
There's no peace for the wicked, says my God.
