Isaiah 57

1 The righteous perishes, and no man lays it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.

The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart; devout men are swept away, while no one considers that the righteous are guided from the presence of evil.

2 He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.

Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest, lying down in death.

3 But draw near here, all of you sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore.

“But come here, you sons of a sorceress, you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes!

4 Against whom do all of you sport yourselves? against whom make all of you a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? are all of you not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood.

Whom are you mocking? At whom do you snarl and stick out your tongue? Are you not children of transgression, offspring of deceit,

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

who burn with lust among the oaks, under every luxuriant tree, who slaughter your children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?

6 Among the smooth stones of the stream is your portion; they, they are your lot: even to them have you poured a drink offering, you have offered a food offering. Should I receive comfort in these?

Your portion is among the smooth stones of the valley; indeed, they are your lot. Even to them you have poured out a drink offering and offered a grain offering. Should I relent because of these?

7 Upon a lofty and high mountain have you set your bed: even thither went you up to offer sacrifice.

On a high and lofty hill you have made your bed, and there you went up to offer sacrifices.

8 Behind the doors also and the posts have you set up your remembrance: for you have discovered yourself to another than me, and are gone up; you have enlarged your bed, and made you a covenant with them; you loved their bed where you saw it.

Behind the door and doorpost you have set up your memorial. Forsaking Me, you uncovered your bed; you climbed up and opened it wide. And you have made a pact with those whose bed you have loved; you have gazed upon their nakedness.

9 And you went to the king with ointment, and did increase your perfumes, and did send your messengers far off, and did debase yourself even unto hell. (Sheol h7585)

You went to Molech with oil and multiplied your perfumes. You have sent your envoys a great distance; you have descended even to Sheol itself. (Sheol h7585)

10 You are wearied in the greatness of your way; yet said you not, There is no hope: you have found the life of your hand; therefore you were not grieved.

You are wearied by your many journeys, but you did not say, “There is no hope!” You found renewal of your strength; therefore you did not grow weak.

11 And of whom have you been afraid or feared, that you have lied, and have not remembered me, nor laid it to your heart? have not I held my peace even of old, and you fear me not?

Whom have you dreaded and feared, so that you lied and failed to remember Me or take this to heart? Is it not because I have long been silent that you do not fear Me?

12 I will declare your righteousness, and your works; for they shall not profit you.

I will expose your righteousness and your works, and they will not profit you.

13 When you cry, let your companies deliver you; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he that puts his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain;

When you cry out, let your companies of idols deliver you! Yet the wind will carry off all of them, a breath will take them away. But he who seeks refuge in Me will inherit the land and possess My holy mountain.”

14 And shall say, Cast all of you up, cast all of you up, prepare the way, take up the stumbling block out of the way of my people.

And it will be said, “Build it up, build it up, prepare the way, take every obstacle out of the way of My people.”

15 For thus says the high and lofty One that inhabits 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.

For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and humble in spirit, to restore the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the contrite.

16 For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always angry: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.

For I will not accuse you forever, nor will I always be angry; for then the spirit of man would grow weak before Me, with the breath of those I have made.

17 For the iniquity of his covetousness was I angry, and stroke him: I hid me, and was angry, and he went on perversely in the way of his heart.

I was enraged by his sinful greed, so I struck him and hid My face in anger; yet he kept turning back to the desires of his heart.

18 I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.

I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to him and his mourners,

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

bringing praise to their lips. Peace, peace to those far and near,” says the LORD, “and I will heal them.”

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

But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea, for it cannot be still, and its waves churn up mire and muck.

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

“There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”