< Isaiah 57 >

1 The righteous perisheth, and no man considereth it in heart: and mercifull men are taken away, and no man vnderstandeth that the righteous is taken away from the euill to come.
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 Peace shall come: they shall rest in their beds, euery one that walketh before him.
He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.
3 But you witches children, come hither, the seede of the adulterer and of the whore.
But draw near here, all of you sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore.
4 On whome haue ye iested? vpon whome haue ye gaped and thrust out your tongue? are not ye rebellious children, and a false seede?
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 Inflamed with idoles vnder euery greene tree? and sacrificing the children in the valleys vnder the tops of the rocks?
Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clefts of the rocks?
6 Thy portion is in the smooth stones of the riuer: they, they are thy lot: euen to them hast thou powred a drinke offering: thou hast offered a sacrifice. Should I delite in these?
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 Thou hast made thy bed vpon a very hie mountaine: thou wentest vp thither, euen thither wentest thou to offer sacrifice.
Upon a lofty and high mountain have you set your bed: even thither went you up to offer sacrifice.
8 Behinde the doores also and postes hast thou set vp thy remembrance: for thou hast discouered thy selfe to another then me, and wentest vp, and diddest enlarge thy bed, and make a couenant betweene thee and them, and louedst their bed in euery place where thou sawest it.
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 Thou wentest to the Kings with oyle, and diddest increase thine oyntments and sende thy messengers farre off, and diddest humble thy selfe vnto hell. (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 Thou weariedst thy selfe in thy manifolde iourneys, yet saydest thou not, There is no hope: thou hast found life by thine hand, therefore thou wast not grieued.
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 And whome diddest thou reuerence or feare, seeing thou hast lyed vnto me, and hast not remembred me, neither set thy minde thereon? is it not because I holde my peace, and that of long time? therefore thou fearest not 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 thy righteousnes and thy workes, and they shall not profite thee.
I will declare your righteousness, and your works; for they shall not profit you.
13 When thou cryest, let them that thou hast gathered together deliuer thee: but the winde shall take them all away: vanitie shall pull them away: but he that trusteth in me, shall inherite the lande, and shall possesse mine holy Mountaine.
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 And he shall say, Cast vp, cast vp: prepare the way: take vp the stumbling blocks 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 thus sayth he that is hie and excellent, he that inhabiteth the eternitie, whose Name is the Holy one, I dwell in the high and holy place: with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirite to reuiue the spirite of the humble, and to giue life to them that are of a contrite heart.
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 contende for euer, neither will I be alwayes wroth, for the spirite should fayle before me: and I haue made the breath.
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 For his wicked couetousnesse I am angry with him, and haue smitten him: I hid mee and was angry, yet he went away, and turned after the way of his owne 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 haue seene his wayes, and wil heale him: I wil leade him also, and restore comfort vnto him, and to those that lament him.
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 fruite of the lips, to be peace: peace vnto them that are farre off, and to them that are neere, sayth the Lord: for I will heale him.
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 raging sea, that can not rest, whose waters cast vp myre and dirt.
But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
21 There is no peace, sayth my God, to the wicked.
There is no peace, says my God, to the wicked.

< Isaiah 57 >