Isaiah 57

1 The righteous has perished, And there is none laying [it] to heart, And men of kindness are gathered, Without any considering that from the face of evil The righteous one is gathered.

Good people die, and nobody cares; the faithful pass away, and nobody thinks that they were being protected from evil.

2 He enters into peace, they rest on their beds, [Each] is going straightforward.

Those who follow what's right rest in peace; they find rest as they lie down in death.

3 “And you, come near here, O sons of a sorceress, seed of an adulterer, Even you commit whoredom.

But as for you, children of fortune-tellers, the product of adultery and prostitution—come here!

4 Against whom do you sport yourselves? Against whom do you enlarge the mouth [And] prolong the tongue? Are you not children of transgression? A false seed?

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 Who are inflamed among oaks, under every green tree, Slaughtering the children in valleys, Under clefts 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 Your portion [is] among the smooth things of a brook, They [are] your lot, You have also poured out an oblation to them, You have caused a present to ascend, Am I comforted in these things?

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 On a mountain, high and exalted, You have set your bed, You have also gone up there to make a sacrifice.

You have committed adultery by idol worship on every high mountain; you went there to offer pagan sacrifices.

8 And behind the door, and the post, You have set up your memorial, For you have removed from Me, and go up, You have enlarged your bed, And cut [a covenant] with them, You have loved their bed, the station you saw,

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 And go joyfully to the king in ointment, And multiply your perfumes, And send your ambassadors far off, And humble yourself to Sheol. (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 You have labored in the greatness of your way, You have not said, It is desperate. You have found the life of your hand, Therefore you have not been sick.

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 of whom have you been afraid, and fear, That you lie, and have not remembered Me? You have not laid [it] to your heart, Am I not silent, even from of old? And you do not fear 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 declare your righteousness, and your works, And they do not profit you.

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 you cry, let your gatherings deliver you, And wind carries all of them away, Vanity takes away, And whoever is trusting in Me inherits the land, And possesses My holy mountain.”

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 has said, “Raise up, raise up, prepare a way, Lift a stumbling-block 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 said the high and exalted One, Inhabiting eternity, and His Name [is] holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, And with the bruised and humble of spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of bruised ones,

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 do not strive for all time, nor am I angry forever, For the spirit is feeble before Me, And the souls I have made.

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 the iniquity of his dishonest gain, I have been angry, and I strike him, Hiding—and am angry, And he goes on turning back in the way of his 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 have seen his ways, and I heal him, indeed, I lead him, And repay comforts to him and to his mourning ones.

I know what they're doing, but I will heal them. I will lead them and comfort those who mourn,

19 Producing the fruit of the lips, Peace, peace, to the far off, and to the near, And I have healed him,” said YHWH.

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 And the wicked [are] as the driven out sea, For it is not able to rest, And its waters cast out filth and mire.

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,” said my God, “for the wicked!”

There's no peace for the wicked, says my God.