Isaiah 57

1 The righteous one, hath perished, And not a man, hath taken it to heart—Yea the men of lovingkindness, have been withdrawn No one considering, That from the presence of calamity, hath the righteous been withdrawn.

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

2 He entereth into peace, Let them rest upon their couches, —Each one who went on a straight path.

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

3 But, ye, …draw near hither, Ye sons of divination, —Ye seed of an adulterer when your mother committed unchastity!

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

4 Against whom would ye disport yourselves? Against whom would ye widen the mouth and lengthen the tongue, —Are not, ye, Children of transgression, A Seed of falsehood.

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 inflame yourselves With the terebinths, Under every green tree—Slaying the children, In the torrent-valleys, Under the clefts of the crags:

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 Among the smooth stones of the torrent—valley, is thy portion. They, they, are thy lot; Even to them, hast thou Poured out a drink-offering. Caused to ascend a gift. Over these things, can I cease to grieve?

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 uplifted, hast thou set thy couch, —Even thither, hast thou gone up, to offer 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, hast thou set thy symbol, For, with another than me, hast thou uncovered thyself and gone up—Hast widened thy couch, And hast solemnised for thyself a covenant from them, Thou hast loved their couch a sign, hast thou seen;

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 hast gone to the king with oil, And hast multiplied thy perfumes, —And hast sent thy messengers afar, And…lowered thyself as far as hades! (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 With the length of thy journey, thou wast wearied, Thou didst not say, Hopeless! The reviving of thy power, thou didst find, For this cause, hast thou not become 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 Whom then hadst thou been anxious about and feared that thou shouldest speak falsely, When me, thou rememberedst not, caredst not for me? Did not, I, keep silence even from age-past times, Although me, thou wouldest not fear?

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, will expose thy righteousness, —And thy works—but they will not profit thee!

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 thou makest outcry, let thy gathered throngs deliver thee! But all of them, shall A wind, catch up—A breath, take away! Whereas he that seeketh refuge in me, Shall inherit the land, And possess 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 one said—Cast ye up—cast ye up, prepare ye a way, —Lift the 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, saith he that is high and lifted up—Inhabiting futurity, And, holy, is his name: A high and holy place, will I inhabit, Also with the crushed and lowly in spirit, To revive the spirit of the lowly, and To revive the heart of them who are crushed; —

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 not age-abidingly, will I contend, Nor perpetually, will I be wroth, —For, spirit, before me, would faint, Even the breathing souls, which, I, had 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 Because of his iniquitous gain, was I wroth—and smote him Hiding myself that I might be wroth, —But he went on turning aside in the way of his own 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 His ways, have I beheld, That I might heal him, —And guide him, And restore consolations to him and to his mourners:

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

19 Creating the fruit of the lips—Prosperity! Prosperity! For him that is far off and for him that is near saith Yahweh, So should I heal him.

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 But, the lawless, are like the sea when tossed, —For, rest, it cannot! But its waters toss out mire and dirt.

But the wicked are like the sea that is tossed about, never keeping still, churning up the mud and muck with its waves.

21 No well-being, saith my God, to the lawless!

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