Isaiah 57

1 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].

The upright man goes to his death, and no one gives a thought to it; and god-fearing men are taken away, and no one is troubled by it; for the upright man is taken away because of evil-doing, and goes into peace.

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

They are at rest in their last resting-places, every one going straight before him.

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

But come near, you sons of her who is wise in secret arts, the seed of her who is false to her husband, and of the loose woman.

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,

Of whom do you make sport? against whom is your mouth open wide and your tongue put out? are you not uncontrolled children, a false seed,

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

You who are burning with evil desire among the oaks, under every green tree; putting children to death in the valleys, under the cracks of 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 an oblation. Shall I be appeased for these things?

Among the smooth stones of the valley is your heritage; they, even they, are your part: even to them have you made a drink offering and a meal offering. Is it possible for such things to be overlooked by me?

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

You have put your bed on a high mountain: there you went up to make your offering.

8 And behind the doors and the posts hast thou set up thy memorial: for thou hast discovered [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.

And on the back of the doors and on the pillars you have put your sign: for you have been false to me with another; you have made your bed wide, and made an agreement with them; you had a desire for their bed where you saw it

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

And you went to Melech with oil and much perfume, and you sent your representatives far off, and went as low as the underworld. (Sheol h7585)

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

You were tired with your long journeys; but you did not say, There is no hope: you got new strength, and so you were not feeble.

11 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 fearest me not?

And of whom were you in fear, so that you were false, and did not keep me in mind, or give thought to it? Have I not been quiet, keeping myself secret, and so you were not in fear of me?

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

I will make clear what your righteousness is like and your works; you will have no profit in them.

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

Your false gods will not keep you safe in answer to your cry; but the wind will take them, they will be gone like a breath: but he who puts his hope in me will take the land, and will have my holy mountain as his heritage.

14 And he shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.

And I will say, Make it high, make it high, get ready the way, take the stones 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.

For this is the word of him who is high and lifted up, whose resting-place is eternal, whose name is Holy: my resting-place is in the high and holy place, and with him who is crushed and poor in spirit, to give life to the spirit of the poor, and to make strong the heart of the crushed.

16 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.

For I will not give punishment for ever, or be angry without end: for from me breath goes out; and I it was who made the souls.

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

I was quickly angry with his evil ways, and sent punishment on him, veiling my face in wrath: and he went on, turning his heart from me.

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, and I will make him well: I will give him rest, comforting him and his people who are sad.

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

I will give the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace, to him who is near and to him who is far off, says the Lord; and I will make him well.

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

But the evil-doers are like the troubled sea, for which there is no rest, and its waters send up earth and waste.

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

There is no peace, says my God, for the evil-doers.