Isaiah 57

1 The righteous perish, and no one lays it to heart. Merciful men are taken away, and no one considers that the righteous is taken away from the evil.

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 enters into peace. They rest in their beds, each one who walks in his uprightness.

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

3 “But draw near here, you sons of a sorceress, you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes.

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 Whom do you mock? Against whom do you make a wide mouth and stick out your tongue? Aren’t you children of disobedience and offspring 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 you who inflame yourselves amongst the oaks, under every green tree; who kill 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 Amongst the smooth stones of the valley is your portion. They, they are your lot. You have even poured a drink offering to them. You have offered an offering. 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 On a high and lofty mountain you have set your bed. You also went up there to offer sacrifice.

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

8 You have set up your memorial behind the doors and the posts, for you have exposed yourself to someone besides me, and have gone up. You have enlarged your bed and made you a covenant with them. You loved what you saw on their bed.

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 You went to the king with oil, increased your perfumes, sent your ambassadors far off, and degraded yourself even to Sheol. (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 You were wearied with the length of your ways; yet you didn’t say, ‘It is in vain.’ You found a reviving of your strength; therefore you weren’t 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 “Whom have you dreaded and feared, so that you lie, and have not remembered me, nor laid it to your heart? Haven’t I held my peace for a long time, and you don’t fear me?

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 your righteousness; and as for your works, they will not benefit you.

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

13 When you cry, let those whom you have gathered deliver you, but the wind will take them. A breath will carry them all away, but he who takes refuge in me will possess the land, and will 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 He will say, “Build up, build up, prepare the way! Remove the stumbling-block 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 the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy, says: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

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 forever, neither will I always be angry; for the spirit would faint before me, and the souls whom 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 I was angry because of the iniquity of his covetousness and struck him. I hid myself and was angry; and he went on backsliding 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 to 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 who is far off and to him who is near,” says the LORD; “and I will heal them.”

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 can’t rest and its waters cast up mire and mud.

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”, says my God, “for the wicked.”

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