Isaiah 57
1 A iust man perischith, and noon is, that thenkith in his herte; and men of merci ben gaderid togidere, for noon is that vndurstondith; for whi a iust man is gaderid fro the face of malice.
Good people die, and nobody cares; the faithful pass away, and nobody thinks that they were being protected from evil.
2 Pees come, reste he in his bed, that yede in his dressyng.
Those who follow what's right rest in peace; they find rest as they lie down in death.
3 But ye, sones of the sekere of fals dyuynyng bi chiteryng of briddys, neiye hidur, the seed of auowtresse, and of an hoore.
But as for you, children of fortune-tellers, the product of adultery and prostitution—come here!
4 On whom scorneden ye? on whom maden ye greet the mouth, and puttiden out the tunge? Whethir ye ben not cursid sones, a seed of leesyngis?
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 which ben coumfortid in goddis, vndur ech tree ful of bowis, and offren litle children in strondis, vndur hiye stoonys.
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 Thi part is in the partis of the stronde, this is thi part; and to tho thou scheddist out moist offryng, thou offridist sacrifice. Whether Y schal not haue indignacioun on these thingis?
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 Thou puttidist thi bed on an hiy hil and enhaunsid, and thidur thou stiedist to offre sacrifices;
You have committed adultery by idol worship on every high mountain; you went there to offer pagan sacrifices.
8 and thou settidist thi memorial bihynde the dore, and bihynde the post. For bisidis me thou vnhilidist, and tokist auouter; thou alargidist thi bed, and madist a boond of pees with hem; thou louedist the bed of hem with openyd hond,
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 ournedist thee with kyngis oynement, and thou multipliedist thi pymentis; thou sentist fer thi messangeris, and thou art maad low `til to hellis. (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 Thou trauelidist in the multitude of thi weie, and seidist not, Y schal reste; thou hast founde the weie of thin hond,
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 therfor thou preiedist not. For what thing dreddist thou bisy, for thou liedist, and thouytist not on me? And thou thouytist not in thin herte, that Y am stille, and as not seynge; and thou hast foryete me.
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 Y schal telle thi riytfulnesse, and thi werkis schulen not profite to 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 Whanne thou schalt crie, thi gaderid tresours delyuere thee; and the wynd schal take awei alle tho, a blast schal do awei hem; but he that hath trist on me, schal enherite the lond, and schal haue in possessioun myn hooli hil.
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 Y schal seie, Make ye weie, yyue ye iurney, bowe ye fro the path, do ye awei hirtyngis fro the weie of my puple.
He will say, Build a highway, remove anything that's in the way of my people.
15 For the Lord hiy, and enhaunsid, seith these thingis, that dwellith in euerlastyngnesse, and his hooli name in hiy place, and that dwellith in hooli, and with a contrite and meke spirit, that he quykene the spirit of meke men, and quykene the herte of contrit men.
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 Y schal not stryue with outen ende, nether Y schal be wrooth `til to the ende; for whi a spirit schal go out fro my face, and Y schal make blastis.
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 Y was wrooth for the wickidnesse of his aueryce, and Y smoot hym. Y hidde my face fro thee, and Y hadde indignacioun; and he yede with out stidfast dwellyng, in the weie of his herte.
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 Y siy hise weies, and Y helide hym, and Y brouyte hym ayen; and Y yaf coumfortyngis to hym, and to the moreneris of hym.
I know what they're doing, but I will heal them. I will lead them and comfort those who mourn,
19 Y made the fruyt of lippis pees, pees to hym that is fer, and to hym that is niy, seide the Lord; and Y heelide hym.
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 wickid men ben as the buyling see, that may not reste; and the wawis therof fleten ayen in to defoulyng, and fen.
But the wicked are like the sea that is tossed about, never keeping still, churning up the mud and muck with its waves.
21 The Lord God seide, Pees is not to wickid men.
There's no peace for the wicked, says my God.
