Isaiah 57

¹The 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.

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

³But 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.

⁴Of 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,

⁵You 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?

⁶Among 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?

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

⁸And 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

⁹And you went to Melech with oil and much perfume, and you sent your representatives far off, and went as low as the underworld.

¹⁰You 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.

¹¹And 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?

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

¹³Your 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.

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

¹⁵For 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.

¹⁶For 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.

¹⁷I 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.

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

¹⁹I 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.

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

²¹There is no peace, says my God, for the evil-doers.

Isaiah 57

¹The 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.

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

³"But draw near here, you sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the prostitute.

⁴Against whom do you sport yourselves? Against whom do you make a wide mouth, and stick out your tongue? Aren't you children of disobedience, a seed of falsehood,

⁵you who inflame yourselves among the oaks, under every green tree; who kill the children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?

⁶Among 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?

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

⁸Behind the doors and the posts you have set up your memorial: for you have uncovered to someone besides me, and have gone up; you have enlarged your bed, and made you a covenant with them: you loved their bed where you saw it.

⁹You went to the king with oil, and increased your perfumes, and sent your ambassadors far off, and debased yourself even to Sheol.

¹⁰You were wearied with the length of your way; yet you did not say, 'It is in vain.' You found a reviving of your strength; therefore you weren't faint.

¹¹"Of whom have you been afraid and in fear, that you lie, and have not remembered me, nor laid it to your heart? Haven't I held my peace even of long time, and you do not fear me?

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

¹³When you cry, let those who you have gathered deliver you; 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."

¹⁴He will say, "Cast up, cast up, prepare the way, take up the stumbling-block out of the way of my people."

¹⁵For thus says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "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.

¹⁶For I will not contend forever, neither will I be always angry; for the spirit would faint before me, and the souls who I have made.

¹⁷For the iniquity of his covetousness was I angry, and struck him; I hid myself and was angry; and he went on backsliding in the way of his heart.

¹⁸I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts to him and to his mourners.

¹⁹I 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."

²⁰But the wicked are like the troubled sea; for it can't rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt.

²¹"There is no peace," says my God, "for the wicked."