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

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

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

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

But draw near here, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the harlot.

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 ye sport yourselves, against whom ye make a wide mouth, and put out the tongue? Are ye 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?

ye who inflame yourselves among the oaks, under every green tree, who kill 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 valley is thy portion. They, they are thy lot, even to them thou have poured a drink offering; thou have offered an oblation. Shall I be appeased for these things?

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

Upon a high and lofty mountain thou have set thy bed. Thou also went up there 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.

And behind the doors and the posts thou have set up thy memorial. For thou have uncovered thyself to another than me, and have gone up. Thou have enlarged thy bed, and made thee a covenant with them. Thou loved their bed where thou 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 thou went to the king with oil, and increased thy perfumes, and sent thine ambassadors far off, and debased thyself even to Sheol. (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.

Thou were wearied with the length of thy way, yet thou did not say, It is in vain. Thou found a quickening of thy strength, therefore thou were not faint.

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 thou been afraid and in fear, that thou lie, and have not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? Have I not held my peace even of long time, and thou do not fear me?

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

I will declare thy righteousness. And as for thy works, they shall not profit thee.

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 thou cry, let those whom thou have gathered deliver thee. But the wind shall take them; a breath shall carry them all away. But he who takes refuge 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 he will say, Cast ye up, cast ye 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 who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, also with him who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

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 forever, nor will I always be angry, for the spirit would faint before me, and the souls that 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 I was angry, and smote him. I hid my face and was angry, and he went on backsliding 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 to 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 the LORD; “and I will heal them.”

I create the fruit of the lips. Peace, peace, to him who is far off and to him who is near, says Jehovah, 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, for it cannot rest, and its 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.