Isaiah 57

1 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.

The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth [it] to heart: and merciful men [are] taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil [to come].

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

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

3 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.

But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore.

4 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,

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

5 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?

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

6 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?

Among the smooth [stones] of the stream [is] thy portion; they, they [are] thy lot: even to them hast thou poured a drink offering, thou hast offered a meat offering. Should I receive comfort in these?

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

Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.

8 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

Behind the doors also and the posts hast thou set up thy remembrance: for thou hast discovered [thyself to another] than me, and art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed, and made thee [a covenant] with them; thou lovedst their bed where thou sawest [it].

9 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)

And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase [thyself even] unto hell. (Sheol h7585)

10 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.

Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way; [yet] saidst thou not, There is no hope: thou hast found the life of thine hand; therefore thou wast not grieved.

11 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?

And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid [it] to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of old, and thou fearest me not?

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

I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee.

13 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.

When thou criest, let thy companies deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take [them: ] but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain;

14 And I will say, Make it high, make it high, get ready the way, take the stones out of the way of my people.

And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.

15 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.

For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth 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 give punishment for ever, or be angry without end: for from me breath goes out; and I it was who made the souls.

For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls [which] I have made.

17 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.

For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart.

18 I have seen his ways, and I will make him well: I will give him rest, comforting him and his people who are sad.

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 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.

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

20 But the evil-doers are like the troubled sea, for which there is no rest, and its waters send up earth and waste.

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 evil-doers.

[There is] no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.