Isaiah 57
1 Righteous people [sometimes] die [when they are still young], and no one is concerned about it. Godly people [sometimes] die because of disasters, and no one understands why. They are taken away in order that they will not endure more calamities,
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 and now they have peace. They [continually] lived righteously, and [now] they rest [peacefully] in their graves.
He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.
3 [Yahweh says, ] “But you who practice sorcery, come here! You who worship idols [MET], [listen to me]!
But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore.
4 Do you realize [RHQ] whom you are ridiculing, and whom you are insulting? Do you realize [RHQ] to whom you are sticking out your tongues? [You are insulting me, Yahweh]! You are [RHQ] always rebelling against me and always lying.
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,
5 You are eager to have sex under every [big] green tree where you worship your gods. You kill your children as sacrifices [to your idols] in the dry riverbeds, and [also] offer them [as sacrifices to your idols] in the rocky caves.
Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks?
6 [You take big] smooth stones from the riverbeds and worship them as your gods. You pour out [wine] to be an offering to them, and you bring grain [to burn for] an offering to them. Do you think that I should not punish you for doing all those things?
Among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion; they, they are thy lot: even to them hast thou poured a drink offering, thou hast offered a grain offering. Should I receive comfort in these?
7 You have sex [EUP] [with cult prostitutes] on every hill and mountain, and you go there to offer sacrifices [to your gods].
Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.
8 You have put (fetishes/pagan symbols) behind your doors and doorposts, and you have deserted me. You have taken off your clothes [EUP] and climbed into your bed and invited more [of your lovers] to come to bed with you. You have paid them to have sex with you, and you have fondled their sexual organs.
Behind the doors also and the posts hast thou set up thy remembrance: 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.
9 You have given [fragrant] oil and lots of perfume to your god Molech, and you sent messengers to distant countries [to find other gods to worship]; you [even tried to] send [messengers] to the place of the dead [to search for new gods]. (Sheol h7585)
And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase thyself even unto hell. (Sheol h7585)
10 You became weary because of doing all those things, but you never said, ‘It is useless [for us to do that].’ You found new strength for worshiping idols, so you continued to do that [LIT].
Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way; yet saidst thou not, There is no hope: thou hast found the life of thine hand; therefore thou wast not grieved.
11 Was it because you were afraid [of those idols more than you were afraid of me] that you lied [about what you were doing], and you do not even think about [DOU, RHQ] me? Was it because I did not punish you for a long time that you are not afraid of me [RHQ]?
And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of old, and thou fearest me not?
12 You [think that] [IRO] the things that you have done are right, but I will tell the truth. It will not help you to do any of those things.
I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee.
13 When you cry out [for help] to your collection of idols, they will not rescue you. The wind will blow them away [DOU]. But those who trust in me will live in the land [of Israel], and [they will worship me on Zion], my sacred hill.”
When thou criest, let thy companies deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain;
14 Yahweh will say, “Prepare [yourselves to receive] me, [like] [MET] people build and prepare a road [for a king to come on]. Get rid of [the things that are causing you to sin] [like] [MET] people remove from a road (obstacles/things that cause people to stumble).
And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.
15 Because this is what [I], Yahweh, who am holy and greatly honored and who live forever, say: I live in the highest heaven, where [everything] is holy, but I also am with those who are humble and who are sorry for the sinful things that they have done. I will greatly encourage [DOU] those who have repented.
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.
16 I will not accuse [people] forever; I will not always be angry [with them], because [if I did that], people would become weak/discouraged; all the people whom I created and caused to live would die.
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 I was angry [with my people] because they sinned by wanting the things that others had. So because I was angry, I punished them and turned away from them, but they continued sinning.
For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on backsliding in the way of his heart.
18 I have seen the evil things that they continually do, but I will restore them and lead them. I will encourage/comfort them. And to those who are mourning,
I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.
19 I will enable them to sing songs to praise me. I will restore [all my people], those who live near [Jerusalem] and those who live far away, and I will cause things to go well for them.
I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith Yhwh; and I will heal him.
20 Wicked [people do not have peace in their inner beings]; they are like [SIM] a sea [whose waves are] always churning up mud,
But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
21 and [I], Yahweh, say that things will never (go well/be peaceful) for those who are evil.”
There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.
