Esias 57

1 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.

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 the evil [to come].

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

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

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

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

4 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?

Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and put out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood,

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

ye that inflame yourselves among the oaks, under every green tree; that slay the children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?

6 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?

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 an oblation. Shall I be appeased for these things?

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

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

8 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;

And behind the doors and the posts hast thou set up thy memorial: for thou hast uncovered [thyself] to another than me, and art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed, and made thee a covenant with them: thou lovedst their bed where thou sawest it.

9 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)

And thou wentest to the king with oil, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thine ambassadors far off, and didst debase thyself even unto Sheol. (Sheol h7585)

10 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.

Thou wast wearied with the length of thy way; yet saidst thou not, It is in vain: thou didst find a quickening of thy strength; therefore thou wast not faint.

11 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.

And of whom hast thou been afraid and in fear, that thou liest, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of long time, and thou fearest me not?

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

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

13 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.

When thou criest, let them that thou hast gathered deliver thee; but the wind shall take them, a breath shall carry them all away: but he that taketh refuge in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain.

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

And he will say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumbling-block out of the way of my people.

15 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:

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.

16 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.

For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth; for the spirit would faint before me, and the souls that I have made.

17 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.

For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him; I hid [my face] and was wroth; and he went on backsliding in the way of his heart.

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

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

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

I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace, to him that is far off and to him that is near, saith Jehovah; and I will heal him.

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

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

21 There is no joy to the ungodly, said God.

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