57:1 The righteous perish, and no one ponders it in his heart; devout men are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil.
57:2 Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death.
57:3 “But you–come here, you sons of a sorceress, you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes!
57:4 Whom are you mocking? At whom do you sneer and stick out your tongue? Are you not a brood of rebels, the offspring of liars?
57:5 You burn with lust among the oaks and under every spreading tree; you sacrifice your children in the ravines and under the overhanging crags.
57:6 The idols among the smooth stones of the ravines are your portion; they, they are your lot. Yes, to them you have poured out drink offerings and offered grain offerings. In the light of these things, should I relent?
57:7 You have made your bed on a high and lofty hill; there you went up to offer your sacrifices.
57:8 Behind your doors and your doorposts you have put your pagan symbols. Forsaking me, you uncovered your bed, you climbed into it and opened it wide; you made a pact with those whose beds you love, and you looked on their nakedness.
57:9 You went to Molech with olive oil and increased your perfumes. You sent your ambassadors far away; you descended to the grave itself!
57:10 You were wearied by all your ways, but you would not say, ‘It is hopeless.’ You found renewal of your strength, and so you did not faint.
57:11 “Whom have you so dreaded and feared that you have been false to me, and have neither remembered me nor pondered this in your hearts? Is it not because I have long been silent that you do not fear me?
57:12 I will expose your righteousness and your works, and they will not benefit you.
57:13 When you cry out for help, let your collection of idols save you! The wind will carry all of them off, a mere breath will blow them away. But the man who makes me his refuge will inherit the land and possess my holy mountain.”
57:14 And it will be said: “Build up, build up, prepare the road! Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people.”
57:15 For this is what the high and lofty One says–he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.
57:16 I will not accuse forever, nor will I always be angry, for then the spirit of man would grow faint before me–the breath of man that I have created.
57:17 I was enraged by his sinful greed; I punished him, and hid my face in anger, yet he kept on in his willful ways.
57:18 I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to him,
57:19 creating praise on the lips of the mourners in Israel. Peace, peace, to those far and near,” says the LORD. “And I will heal them.”
57:20 But the wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud.
57:21 “There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”
57:1 The righteous man perishes, / And no one takes it to heart; / And godly men are being swept away, / While no one considers / That the righteous man is being swept away from evil.
57:2 He enters into peace; / They rest in their beds, / Each who walks uprightly.
57:3 But draw near here, / You children of a sorceress, / You seed of an adulterer and of her who prostitutes herself.
57:4 Whom are you mocking, / And against whom are you opening your mouth wide / And sticking out your tongue? / Are you not children of transgression, / A seed of falsehood,
57:5 Who inflame yourselves among the terebinths, / Under every flourishing tree, / Who slaughter the children in the valleys / Under the clefts of the rocks?
57:6 Among the smooth stones of the valley is your portion, / They, yes, they are your lot. / Indeed, to them you have poured out a drink offering, / You have offered a meal offering. / Shall I ease Myself of these?
57:7 Upon a high and lofty mountain / You have set your bed. / Indeed, you went up there / To offer sacrifice.
57:8 And behind the door and doorpost / You have put your reminder. / For apart from Me, you have uncovered yourself and gone up; / You have extended your bed; / And you have made an agreement for yourself with them; / You loved their bed; you saw their nakedness.
57:9 And you went to the king with oil, / And you increased your perfumes; / You sent your envoys far away / And debased yourself even as far as Sheol.
57:10 You were wearied with the length of your way, / Yet you did not say, It is hopeless; / You found the renewing of your strength, / Therefore you did not weaken.
57:11 And whom have you been worried about and feared, / That you have lied and not remembered Me, / Nor taken it to heart? / Was I not silent, and that for a long time, / Yet you did not fear Me?
57:12 I will declare your righteousness / And your works, / Yet they will not profit you.
57:13 When you cry out, let your heaps of idols deliver you. / But the wind will carry them all away; / A breath will take them away. But he who takes refuge in Me will inherit the land / And possess My holy mountain.
57:14 And it will be said, / Cast up, cast up; prepare the way; / Take up the obstacle out of the way of My people.
57:15 For thus says the high and exalted One, / Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: / I will dwell in the high and holy place, / And with the contrite and lowly of spirit, / To revive the spirit of the lowly / And to revive the heart of the contrite.
57:16 For I will not contend forever, / Nor will I always be angry; / For the spirit would faint before Me, / And the souls which I have made.
57:17 Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry, / And I struck him; I hid Myself and was angry; / And he went on, turning away in the way of his heart.
57:18 I have seen his ways / And will heal him; / And I will lead him and restore comfort to him / And to his mourning ones,
57:19 Creating 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.
57:20 But the wicked are like the tossed sea, / For it cannot be calm, / And its waters toss up mire and mud.
57:21 There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked.