Chapter 57

The righteous perisheth,¹ and no man layeth⁶ [it] to heart: and merciful men [are] taken away,¹² none considering⁵⁶ that the righteous is taken away⁸ from the evil [to come].

He shall enter⁴ into peace: they shall rest⁴ in their beds, [each one] walking⁶ [in] his uprightness.

But draw near³ hither, ye sons of the sorceress,²⁶ the seed of the adulterer¹⁸ and the whore.⁴

Against whom do ye sport¹⁰¹ yourselves? against whom make ye a wide⁵⁵ mouth, [and] draw out⁵⁵ the tongue? [are] ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood,

Enflaming¹² yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying⁶ the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks?

Among the smooth [stones] of the stream [is] thy portion; they, they [are] thy lot: even to them hast thou poured¹ a drink offering, thou hast offered⁵² a meat offering. Should I receive comfort¹¹ in these?

Upon a lofty and high¹² mountain hast thou set¹ thy bed: even thither wentest thou up¹ to offer² sacrifice.

Behind the doors also and the posts hast thou set up¹ thy remembrance: for thou hast discovered¹⁴ [thyself to another] than me, and art gone up;⁴ thou hast enlarged⁵² thy bed, and made⁴ thee [a covenant] with them; thou lovedst¹ their bed where thou sawest¹ [it].

And thou wentest⁴ to the king with ointment, and didst increase⁵⁵ thy perfumes, and didst send¹⁷ thy messengers far off, and didst debase⁵⁵ [thyself even] unto hell.

Thou art wearied¹ in the greatness of thy way; [yet] saidst¹ thou not, There is no hope:¹² thou hast found¹ the life of thine hand; therefore thou wast not grieved.¹

And of whom hast thou been afraid¹ or feared,⁴ that thou hast lied,¹⁷ and hast not remembered¹ me, nor laid¹ [it] to thy heart? have not I held my peace⁵⁶ even of old, and thou fearest⁴ me not?

I will declare⁵⁵ thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit⁵⁵ thee.

When thou criest,² let thy companies deliver⁵⁵ thee; but the wind shall carry them all away;⁴ vanity shall take⁴ [them]: but he that putteth his trust⁶ in me shall possess⁴ the land, and shall inherit⁴ my holy mountain;

And shall say,¹ Cast ye up,³ cast ye up,³ prepare¹⁶ the way, take up⁵⁴ the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.

For thus saith¹ the high⁶ and lofty¹² One that inhabiteth⁶ eternity, whose name [is] Holy; I dwell⁴ in the high and holy [place], with him also [that is] of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive⁵³ the spirit of the humble, and to revive⁵³ the heart of the contrite ones.¹²

For I will not contend⁴ for ever, neither will I be always wroth:⁴ for the spirit should fail⁴ before me, and the souls [which] I have made.¹

For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth,¹ and smote⁵⁵ him: I hid⁵³ me, and was wroth,⁴ and he went on⁴ frowardly in the way of his heart.

I have seen¹ his ways, and will heal⁴ him: I will lead⁵⁵ him also, and restore¹⁷ comforts unto him and to his mourners.

I create⁶ the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to [him that is] far off, and to [him that is] near, saith¹ the LORD; and I will heal¹ him.

But the wicked [are] like the troubled¹² sea, when it cannot ^{3201 4} rest,⁵³ whose waters cast up⁴ mire and dirt.

[There is] no peace, saith¹ my God, to the wicked.