Isaiah 57

1 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,

The just man perishes, and there is no one who acknowledges it in his heart; and men of mercy are taken away, for there is no one who understands. For the just man has been taken away before the face of malice.

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

Let peace arrive. Let he who has walked in his righteousness find rest on his bed.

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

But come here, you sons of the prophetess, you offspring of an adulterous man and a fornicating woman.

4 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.

Whom are you mocking? Against whom have you opened your mouth wide and wagged your tongue? Are you not sons of wickedness, a lying offspring,

5 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.

who are being consoled by idols under every leafy tree, immolating little children at the torrents, under the high rocks?

6 [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?

Your portion is in the currents of the torrent; this is your lot! And you yourselves have poured out libations to them; you have offered sacrifice. Should I not be angry over these things?

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

Upon a high and lofty mountain, you have placed your bed, and you have ascended to that place to immolate victims.

8 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.

And behind the door, and beyond the post, you have set up your memorial. For you uncovered yourself next to me, and you received an adulterer. You widened your bed, and you formed a pact with them. You loved their bed with an open hand.

9 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)

And you have adorned yourself for the king with ointments, and you have increased your cosmetics. You have sent your representatives to distant places, and you have debased yourself all the way to Hell. (Sheol h7585)

10 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].

You have been wearied by the multitude of your own ways. Yet you did not say, “I will cease.” You have found life by your own hand; because of this, you have not prayed.

11 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]?

For whose sake have you been anxiously afraid, so that you would lie and not be mindful of me, nor consider me in your heart? For I am silent, and I am like someone who does not see, and so you have forgotten me.

12 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.

I will announce your justice, and your works will not benefit you.

13 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.”

When you cry out, let your followers free you. But the wind will carry them all away; a breeze will take them up. But he who has faith in me will inherit the earth and will possess my holy mountain.

14 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).

And I will say: “Make way! Grant passage! Move to the side of the path! Take the obstacles out of the way of my people!”

15 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.

For this is said by the Most High, the Sublime One, who dwells in eternity. And his name is Holy, for he dwells in the exalted and holy place, and he acts with a restrained and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

16 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.

For I will not contend unceasingly, and I will not be angry to the end. For I will exhale my breath, and the Spirit will go forth from my face.

17 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.

Because of the iniquity of his avarice, I was angry, and I struck him down. I concealed my face from you, and I was angry. And he went astray by wandering in his heart.

18 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,

I saw his ways, and I healed him, and I led him back again, and I restored consolations to him and to those who mourn for him.

19 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.

I created the fruit of the lips: peace, peace to him who is far away, and peace to him who is near, said the Lord, and I healed him.

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

But the impious are like the raging sea, which is not able to be quieted, and its waves stir up dirt and mud.

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

There is no peace for the impious, says the Lord God.