< Isaiah 57 >
1 The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and pious men are taken away, without one considering that before the evil the righteous is taken away.
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.
2 He shall come [to his fathers] in peace: they shall repose in their resting-place, every one that walketh in his uprightness.
He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.
3 But ye draw near hither, sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the harlot.
But draw near here, you sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore.
4 Over whom will you make yourselves merry? concerning whom will you open wide your mouth, stretch out your tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood,
Against whom do you sport yourselves? against whom make you a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? are you not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood,
5 That are inflamed after the idols under every green tree; that slaughter the children in the valleys under the clefts of the rocks?
Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clefts of the rocks?
6 Of the smooth stones of the valley is thy portion; they, they are thy lot: even to them hast thou poured out a drink-offering, hast thou offered a meat-offering. Shall I for these things repent me [of the evil]?
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 meat offering. Should I receive comfort in these?
7 Upon a high and lofty mountain hast thou placed thy couch: even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.
On a lofty and high mountain have you set your bed: even thither went you up to offer sacrifice.
8 And behind the doors and the door-posts hast thou placed thy [mark of] remembrance; for [departing] from me, thou hast laid open, and art gone up, —hast enlarged thy couch, and made thee a covenant with some of them; thou hast loved their lying with thee, hast selected a fitting place.
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.
9 And thou didst show thyself unto the king without ointment, and thou didst multiply thy perfumes, and thou didst send out thy messengers even into the far-off distance, and didst debase thyself even down to the nether world. (Sheol )
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 to hell. (Sheol )
10 Though thou art wearied by the length of thy way, yet saidst thou not, It is useless: thou hadst found enough for thy hand; therefore didst thou feel no care.
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.
11 And of whom hadst thou dread or fear, that thou becamest false, and didst not remember me, nor lay it to thy heart? is it not so? I kept silence, and this from earliest times, and therefore thou fearest me not!
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?
12 I, I ever tell thee [what deeds would be] thy righteousness; but thy works—these indeed will not profit thee.
I will declare your righteousness, and your works; for they shall not profit you.
13 When thou criest, let thy masses of idols deliver thee; but all of them will the wind carry away, a breath will take them off; but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain.
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;
14 And he will say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, clear out the way, lift up every stumbling block out of the way of my people.
And shall say, Cast you up, cast you up, prepare the way, take up the stumbling block out of the way of my people.
15 For thus hath said the high and lofty One, who inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy, In the high and holy place do I dwell, yet also with the contrite and humble of spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.
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.
16 For not to eternity will I contend, neither will I be for ever wroth: when the spirit from before me is overwhelmed, and the souls which I have made.
For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.
17 Because of the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and I smote him, hiding my face, and was wroth: while he went on frowardly in the way of his own heart.
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.
18 I [now] see his ways, and I will heal him; and I will guide him, and bestow full comforts on him and on his mourners;
I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts to him and to his mourners.
19 Creating the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace to him that is afar off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord; and I will heal him.
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.
20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea; for it can never be at rest, but its waters cast up mire and dirt.
But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
21 There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.
There is no peace, says my God, to the wicked.