Isaiah 57

1 The just perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart, and men of mercy are taken away, because there is none that understandeth; for the just man is taken away from before the face of evil.

The righteous hath perished, And there is none laying [it] to heart, And men of kindness are gathered, Without any considering that from the face of evil Gathered is the righteous one.

2 Let peace come, let him rest in his bed that hath walked in his uprightness.

He entereth into peace, they rest on their beds, [Each] is going straightforward.

3 But draw near hither, you sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer, and of the harlot.

And ye, come near hither, O sons of a sorceress, seed of an adulterer, Even thou dost commit whoredom.

4 Upon whom have you jested? upon whom have you opened your mouth wide, and put out your tongue? are not you wicked children, a false seed,

Against whom do ye sport yourselves? Against whom enlarge ye the mouth? Prolong ye the tongue? Are not ye children of transgression? a false seed?

5 Who seek your comfort in idols under every green tree, sacrificing children in the torrents, under the high rocks?

Who are inflamed among oaks, under every green tree, Slaughtering the children in valleys, Under clefts of the rocks.

6 In the parts of the torrent is thy portion, this is thy lot: and thou hast poured out libations to them, thou hast offered sacrifice. Shall I not be angry at these things?

Among the smooth things of a brook [is] thy portion, They — they [are] thy lot, Also to them thou hast poured out an oblation, Thou hast caused a present to ascend, For these things am I comforted?

7 Upon a high and lofty mountain thou hast laid thy bed, and hast gone up thither to offer victims.

On a mountain, high and exalted, Thou hast set thy couch, Also thither thou hast gone up to make a sacrifice.

8 And behind the door, and behind the post thou best set up thy remembrance: for thou hast discovered thyself near me, and hast received an adulterer: thou hast enlarged thy bed, and made a covenant with them: thou hast loved their bed with open hand.

And behind the door, and the post, Thou hast set up thy memorial, For from Me thou hast removed, and goest up, Thou hast enlarged thy couch, And dost covenant for thyself among them, Thou hast loved their couch, the station thou sawest,

9 And thou hast adorned thyself for the king with ointment, and hast multiplied thy perfumes. Thou hast sent thy messengers far off, and wast debased even to hell. (Sheol h7585)

And goest joyfully to the king in ointment, And dost multiply thy perfumes, And sendest thine ambassadors afar off, And humblest thyself unto Sheol. (Sheol h7585)

10 Thou hast been wearied in the multitude of thy ways: yet thou saidst not: I will rest: thou hast found life of thy hand, therefore thou hast not asked.

In the greatness of thy way thou hast laboured, Thou hast not said, 'It is desperate.' The life of thy hand thou hast found, Therefore thou hast not been sick.

11 For whom hast thou been solicitous and afraid, that thou hast lied, and hast not been mindful of me, nor thought on me in thy heart? for I am silent, and as one that seeth not, and thou hast forgotten me.

And of whom hast thou been afraid, and fearest, That thou liest, and Me hast not remembered? Thou hast not laid [it] to thy heart, Am not I silent, even from of old? And Me thou fearest not?

12 I will declare thy justice, and thy works shall not profit thee.

I declare thy righteousness, and thy works, And they do not profit thee.

13 When thou shalt cry, let thy companies deliver thee, but the wind shall carry them all off, a breeze shall take them away, but he that putteth his trust in me, shall inherit the land, and shall possess my holy mount.

When thou criest, let thy gatherings deliver thee, And all of them carry away doth wind, Take away doth vanity, And whoso is trusting in Me inheriteth the land, And doth possess My holy mountain.

14 And I will say: Make a way: give free passage, turn out of the path, take away the stumblingblocks out of the way of my people.

And he hath said, 'Raise up, raise up, prepare a way, Lift a stumbling-block out of the way of My people.'

15 For thus saith the High and the Eminent that inhabiteth eternity: and his name is Holy, who dwelleth in the high and holy place, and with a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

For thus said the high and exalted One, Inhabiting eternity, and holy [is] His name: 'In the high and holy place I dwell, And with the bruised and humble of spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of bruised ones,'

16 For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be angry unto the end: because the spirit shall go forth from my face, and breathings I will make.

For, not to the age do I strive, nor for ever am I wroth, For the spirit from before Me is feeble, And the souls I have made.

17 For the iniquity of his covetousness I was angry, and I struck him: I hid my face from thee, and was angry: and he went away wandering in his own heart.

For the iniquity of his dishonest gain, I have been wroth, and I smite him, Hiding — and am wroth, And he goeth on turning back in the way of his heart.

18 I saw his ways, and I healed him, and brought him back, and restored comforts to him, and to them that mourn for him.

His ways I have seen, and I heal him, yea, I lead him, And recompense comforts to him and to his mourning ones.

19 I created the fruit of the lips, peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, said the Lord, and I healed him.

Producing the fruit of the lips, 'Peace, peace,' to the far off, and to the near, And I have healed him, said Jehovah.

20 But the wicked are like the raging sea, which cannot rest, and the waves thereof cast up dirt and mire.

And the wicked [are] as the driven out sea, For to rest it is not able, And its waters cast out filth and mire.

21 There is no peace to the wicked, saith the Lord God.

There is no peace, said my God, to the wicked!