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 righteous perishes, and no man lays it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.

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

He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.

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

But draw near here, all of you sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore.

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,

Against whom do all of you sport yourselves? against whom make all of you a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? are all of you not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood.

5 you who inflame yourselves among the oaks, under every green tree; who kill the children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?

Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clefts of the rocks?

6 Among 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 stream is your portion; they, they are your lot: even to them have you poured a drink offering, you have offered a food offering. Should I receive comfort in these?

7 On a high and lofty mountain you have set your bed. You also went up there to offer sacrifice.

Upon a lofty and high mountain have you set your bed: even thither went you up to offer sacrifice.

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.

Behind the doors also and the posts have you set up your remembrance: for you have discovered yourself to another than me, and are gone up; you have enlarged your bed, and made you a covenant with them; you loved 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 the king with ointment, and did increase your perfumes, and did send your messengers far off, and did debase yourself even unto hell. (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 are wearied in the greatness of your way; yet said you not, There is no hope: you have found the life of your hand; therefore you were not grieved.

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 have you been afraid or feared, that you have lied, and have not remembered me, nor laid it to your heart? have not I held my peace even of old, and you fear me not?

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

I will declare your righteousness, and your works; for they shall not profit you.

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.”

When you cry, let your companies deliver you; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he that puts his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain;

14 He will say, “Build up, build up, prepare the way! Remove the stumbling-block out of the way of my people.”

And shall say, Cast all of you up, cast all of you up, prepare the way, take up the stumbling block 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 thus says the high and lofty One that inhabits 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 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 contend for ever, neither will I be always angry: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.

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.

For the iniquity of his covetousness was I angry, and stroke him: I hid me, and was angry, and he went on perversely in the way of his heart.

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 will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.

19 I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace, to him who is far off and to him who is near,” says Yahweh; “and I will heal them.”

I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, says the LORD; and I will heal him.

20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea; for it can’t rest and its waters cast up mire and mud.

But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.

21 “There is no peace”, says my God, “for the wicked.”

There is no peace, says my God, to the wicked.