Isaiah 57

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

See how the just man has perished, and no one lays [it] to heart: and righteous men are taken away, and no one considers: for the righteous has been removed out of the way of injustice.

2 He entereth into peace, they rest in their beds, each one that walketh in his uprightness.

His burial shall be in peace: he has been removed out of the way.

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

But draw you near hither, you lawless children, the seed of adulterers and the harlot.

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

Wherein have you been rioting? and against whom have you opened your mouth, and against whom have you loosed your tongue? are you not children of perdition? a lawless seed?

5 Ye that inflame yourselves among the terebinths, under every leafy tree; that slay the children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?

who call upon idols under the leafy trees, slaying your children in the valleys among the rocks?

6 Among the smooth stones of the valley is thy portion; they, they are thy lot; even to them hast thou poured a drink-offering, thou hast offered a meal-offering. Should I pacify Myself for these things?

That is your portion, this is your lot: and to them have you poured forth drink-offerings, and to these have you offered meat-offerings. Shall I not therefore be angry for these things?

7 Upon a high and lofty mountain hast thou set thy bed; thither also wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.

On a lofty and high mountain, there is your bed, and there you carried up your meat-offerings:

8 And behind the doors and the posts hast thou set up thy symbol; for thou hast uncovered, and art gone up from Me, thou hast enlarged thy bed, and chosen thee of them whose bed thou lovedst, whose hand thou sawest.

and behind the posts of your door you did place your memorials. Did you think that if you should depart from me, you would gain? you have loved those that lay with you;

9 And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thine ambassadors far off, even down to the nether-world. (Sheol h7585)

and you have multiplied your whoredom with them, and you have increased the number of them that are far from you, and have sent ambassadors beyond your borders, and have been debased even to hell. (Sheol h7585)

10 Thou wast wearied with the length of thy way; yet saidst thou not: 'There is no hope'; thou didst find a renewal of thy strength, therefore thou wast not affected.

You has wearied yourself with your many ways; yet you said not, I will cease to strengthen myself: for you has done these things; therefore you has not supplicated me.

11 And of whom hast thou been afraid and in fear, that thou wouldest fail? And as for Me, thou hast not remembered Me, nor laid it to thy heart. Have not I held My peace even of long time? Therefore thou fearest Me not.

Through dread of whom have you feared, and lied against me, and has not remembered, nor considered me, nor regarded me, yes, though when I see you I pass you by, yet you has not feared me.

12 I will declare thy righteousness; thy works also — they shall not profit thee.

And I will declare your righteousness, and your sins, which shall not profit you.

13 When thou criest, let them that thou hast gathered deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them all away, a breath shall bear them off; but he that taketh refuge in Me shall possess the land, and shall inherit My holy mountain.

When you cry out, let them deliver you in your affliction: for all these the wind shall take, and the tempest shall carry [them] away: but they that cleave to me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain.

14 And He will say: cast ye up, cast ye up, clear the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of My people.

And they shall say, Clear the ways before him, and take up the stumbling blocks out of the way of my people.

15 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.

Thus says the Most High, who dwells on high for ever, Holy in the holies, is his name, the Most High resting in the holies, and giving patience to the faint-hearted, and giving life to the broken-hearted:

16 For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth; for the spirit that enwrappeth itself is from Me, and the souls which I have made.

I will not take vengeance on you for ever, neither will I be always angry with you: for my Spirit shall go forth from me, and I have created all breath.

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

On account of sin for a little while I grieved him, and struck him, and turned away my face from him; and he was grieved, and he went on sorrowful in his ways.

18 I have seen his ways, and will heal him; I will lead him also, and requite with comforts him and his mourners.

I have seen his ways, and healed him, and comforted him, and given him true comfort;

19 Peace, peace, to him that is far off and to him that is near, saith the LORD that createth the fruit of the lips; and I will heal him.

peace upon peace to them that are far off, and to them that are near: and the Lord has said, I will heal them.

20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea; for it cannot rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt.

But the unrighteous shall be tossed as troubled waves, and shall not be able to rest.

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

There is no joy to the ungodly, said God.