ישעה 57

1 הצדיק אבד ואין איש שם על לב ואנשי חסד נאספים באין מבין כי מפני הרעה נאסף הצדיק

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,

2 יבוא שלום ינוחו על משכבותם הלך נכחו

and now they have peace. They [continually] lived righteously, and [now] they rest [peacefully] in their graves.

3 ואתם קרבו הנה בני עננה זרע מנאף ותזנה

[Yahweh says, ] “But you who practice sorcery, come here! You who worship idols [MET], [listen to me]!

4 על מי תתענגו--על מי תרחיבו פה תאריכו לשון הלוא אתם ילדי פשע זרע שקר

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.

5 הנחמים באלים תחת כל עץ רענן שחטי הילדים בנחלים תחת סעפי הסלעים

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.

6 בחלקי נחל חלקך הם הם גורלך גם להם שפכת נסך העלית מנחה--העל אלה אנחם

[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?

7 על הר גבה ונשא שמת משכבך גם שם עלית לזבח זבח

You have sex [EUP] [with cult prostitutes] on every hill and mountain, and you go there to offer sacrifices [to your gods].

8 ואחר הדלת והמזוזה שמת זכרונך כי מאתי גלית ותעלי הרחבת משכבך ותכרת לך מהם--אהבת משכבם יד חזית

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.

9 ותשרי למלך בשמן ותרבי רקחיך ותשלחי צריך עד מרחק ותשפילי עד שאול (Sheol h7585)

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)

10 ברב דרכך יגעת לא אמרת נואש חית ידך מצאת על כן לא חלית

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].

11 ואת מי דאגת ותיראי כי תכזבי ואותי לא זכרת לא שמת על לבך הלא אני מחשה ומעלם ואותי לא תיראי

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]?

12 אני אגיד צדקתך ואת מעשיך ולא יועילוך

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.

13 בזעקך יצילך קבוציך ואת כלם ישא רוח יקח הבל והחוסה בי ינחל ארץ ויירש הר קדשי

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.”

14 ואמר סלו סלו פנו דרך הרימו מכשול מדרך עמי

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).

15 כי כה אמר רם ונשא שכן עד וקדוש שמו--מרום וקדוש אשכון ואת דכא ושפל רוח להחיות רוח שפלים ולהחיות לב נדכאים

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.

16 כי לא לעולם אריב ולא לנצח אקצוף כי רוח מלפני יעטוף ונשמות אני עשיתי

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.

17 בעון בצעו קצפתי ואכהו הסתר ואקצף וילך שובב בדרך לבו

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.

18 דרכיו ראיתי וארפאהו ואנחהו ואשלם נחמים לו ולאבליו

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,

19 בורא נוב (ניב) שפתים שלום שלום לרחוק ולקרוב אמר יהוה--ורפאתיו

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.

20 והרשעים כים נגרש כי השקט לא יוכל ויגרשו מימיו רפש וטיט

Wicked [people do not have peace in their inner beings]; they are like [SIM] a sea [whose waves are] always churning up mud,

21 אין שלום אמר אלהי לרשעים

and [I], Yahweh, say that things will never (go well/be peaceful) for those who are evil.”