Isaiah 57
1 The righteous perish, but no one considers it, and the people of covenant faithfulness are gathered away, but no one understands that the righteous is gathered away from the evil.
The just perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart, and men of mercy are taken away, because there is none that understandeth; for the just man is taken away from before the face of evil.
2 He enters into peace; they rest in their beds, those who walk in their uprightness.
Let peace come, let him rest in his bed that hath walked in his uprightness.
3 But come here, you sons of the sorceress, children of the adulterer and the woman who has prostituted herself.
But draw near hither, you sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer, and of the harlot.
4 Whom are you merrily mocking? Against whom are you opening the mouth and sticking out the tongue? Are you not children of rebellion, children of deceit?
Upon whom have you jested? upon whom have you opened your mouth wide, and put out your tongue? are not you wicked children, a false seed,
5 You heat yourselves up sleeping together under the oaks, under every green tree, you who kill your children in the dry riverbeds, under the rocky overhangs.
Who seek your comfort in idols under every green tree, sacrificing children in the torrents, under the high rocks?
6 Among the smooth things of the river valley are the things that have been assigned to you. They are the object of your devotion. You pour out your drink offering to them and raise up a grain offering. In these things should I take pleasure?
In the parts of the torrent is thy portion, this is thy lot: and thou hast poured out libations to them, thou hast offered sacrifice. Shall I not be angry at these things?
7 You prepared your bed on a high mountain; you also went up there to offer sacrifices.
Upon a high and lofty mountain thou hast laid thy bed, and hast gone up thither to offer victims.
8 Behind the door and the doorposts you set up your symbols; you deserted me, made yourselves naked, and went up; you made your bed wide. You made a covenant with them; you loved their beds; you saw their private parts.
And behind the door, and behind the post thou best set up thy remembrance: for thou hast discovered thyself near me, and hast received an adulterer: thou hast enlarged thy bed, and made a covenant with them: thou hast loved their bed with open hand.
9 You went to Molech with oil; you multiplied perfumes. You send your ambassadors far away; you went down to Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
And thou hast adorned thyself for the king with ointment, and hast multiplied thy perfumes. Thou hast sent thy messengers far off, and wast debased even to hell. (Sheol h7585)
10 You were tired from your long journey, but you never said, “It is hopeless.” You found life in your hand; therefore you did not weaken.
Thou hast been wearied in the multitude of thy ways: yet thou saidst not: I will rest: thou hast found life of thy hand, therefore thou hast not asked.
11 “Whom are you worried about? Whom do you fear so much that has caused you to act so deceitfully, so much that you would not remember me or think about me? Because I was silent for so long, you are no longer afraid of me.
For whom hast thou been solicitous and afraid, that thou hast lied, and hast not been mindful of me, nor thought on me in thy heart? for I am silent, and as one that seeth not, and thou hast forgotten me.
12 I will proclaim all your righteous acts and tell all that you have done, but they will not help you.
I will declare thy justice, and thy works shall not profit thee.
13 When you cry out, let your collection of idols rescue you. Instead the wind will carry them all away, a breath will carry them all away. Yet he who takes refuge in me will inherit the land and will take possession of my holy mountain.
When thou shalt cry, let thy companies deliver thee, but the wind shall carry them all off, a breeze shall take them away, but he that putteth his trust in me, shall inherit the land, and shall possess my holy mount.
14 He will say, 'Build, build! Clear a way! Remove all the stumbling blocks from the path of my people!'”
And I will say: Make a way: give free passage, turn out of the path, take away the stumblingblocks out of the way of my people.
15 For this is what the high and elevated One says, who lives eternally, whose name is holy, “I live in the exalted and holy place, with him also that is of a crushed and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble ones, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
For thus saith the High and the Eminent that inhabiteth eternity: and his name is Holy, who dwelleth in the high and holy place, and with a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.
16 For I will not accuse forever, nor will I be angry forever, for then man's spirit would faint before me, the lives that I have made.
For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be angry unto the end: because the spirit shall go forth from my face, and breathings I will make.
17 Because of the sin of his violent gain, I was angry, and I punished him; I hid my face and was angry, but he went backward in the way of his heart.
For the iniquity of his covetousness I was angry, and I struck him: I hid my face from thee, and was angry: and he went away wandering in his own heart.
18 I have seen his ways, but I will heal him. I will lead him and comfort and console those who mourn for him,
I saw his ways, and I healed him, and brought him back, and restored comforts to him, and to them that mourn for him.
19 and I create the fruit of the lips. Peace, peace, to those who are far off and to those who are near—says Yahweh—I will heal them.
I created the fruit of the lips, peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, said the Lord, and I healed him.
20 But the wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest, and its waters churn up mire and mud.
But the wicked are like the raging sea, which cannot rest, and the waves thereof cast up dirt and mire.
21 There is no peace for the wicked one—says God.”
There is no peace to the wicked, saith the Lord God.
