Isaiah 57
1 The righteous one perishes,
and no one takes it to heart;
faithful men are swept away,
with no one realizing
that the righteous one is swept away
from the presence of evil.
2 He will enter into peace-
they will rest on their beds-
everyone who lives uprightly.
Pagan Religion Denounced
3 But come here,
you sons of a sorceress,
offspring of an adulterer and a prostitute!
4 Who is it you are mocking?
Who is it you are opening your mouth
and sticking out your tongue at?
Isn't it you, you rebellious children,
you race of liars,
5 who burn with lust among the oaks,
under every flourishing tree,
who slaughter children in the wadis
below the clefts of the rocks?
6 Your portion is among the smooth [stones] of the wadi;
indeed, they are your lot.
You have even poured out a drink offering to them;
you have offered a grain offering;
should I be satisfied with these?
7 You have placed your bed
on a high and lofty mountain;
you also went up there to offer sacrifice.
8 You have set up your memorial
behind the door and doorpost.
For away from Me, you stripped,
went up, and made your bed wide,
and you have made a bargain for yourself with them.
You have loved their bed;
you have gazed on their genitals.
9 You went to the king with oil
and multiplied your perfumes;
you sent your couriers far away
and sent [them] down even to Sheol.
10 You became weary on your many journeys,
[but] you did not say, "I give up!"
You found a renewal of your strength;
therefore you did not grow weak.
11 Who was it you dreaded and feared,
so that you lied and didn't remember Me
or take it to heart?
Have I not kept silent for such a long time
and you do not fear Me?
12 I will expose your righteousness,
and your works-they will not profit you.
13 When you cry out,
let your collection [of idols] deliver you!
The wind will carry all of them off,
a breath will take them away.
But whoever takes refuge in Me
will inherit the land
and possess My holy mountain.
Healing and Peace
14 He said,
"Build it up, build it up, prepare the way,
remove [every] obstacle from My people's way."
15 For the High and Exalted One
who lives forever, whose name is Holy says this:
"I live in a high and holy place,
and with the oppressed and lowly of spirit,
to revive the spirit of the lowly
and revive the heart of the oppressed.
16 For I will not accuse [you] forever,
and I will not always be angry;
for then the spirit would grow weak before Me,
even the breath [of man], which I have made.
17 Because of his sinful greed I was angry,
so I struck him; I was angry and hid;
but he went on turning back to the desires of his heart.
18 I have seen his ways, but I will heal him;
I will lead him and restore comfort
to him and his mourners,
19 creating words of praise."
The Lord says,
"Peace, peace to the one who is far or near,
and I will heal him.
20 But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea,
for it cannot be still,
and its waters churn up mire and muck.
21 There is no peace for the wicked,"
says my God.
Isaiah 57
1 The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart; and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.2 He entereth into peace; they rest in their beds, each one that walketh in his uprightness.3 But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the harlot.4 Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and put out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood,5 ye that inflame yourselves among the oaks, under every green tree; that slay the children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?6 Among the smooth stones of the valley is thy portion; they, they are thy lot; even to them hast thou poured a drink-offering, thou hast offered an oblation. Shall I be appeased for these things?7 Upon a high and lofty mountain hast thou set thy bed; thither also wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.8 And behind the doors and the posts hast thou set up thy memorial: for thou hast uncovered thyself to another than me, and art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed, and made thee a covenant with them: thou lovedst their bed where thou sawest it.9 And thou wentest to the king with oil, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thine ambassadors far off, and didst debase thyself even unto Sheol.10 Thou wast wearied with the length of thy way; yet saidst thou not, It is in vain: thou didst find a quickening of thy strength; therefore thou wast not faint.11 And of whom hast thou been afraid and in fear, that thou liest, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of long time, and thou fearest me not?12 I will declare thy righteousness; and as for thy works, they shall not profit thee.13 When thou criest, let them that thou hast gathered deliver thee; but the wind shall take them, a breath shall carry them all away: but he that taketh refuge in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain.14 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 thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that 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 for ever, neither will I be always wroth; for the spirit would faint before me, and the souls that I have made.17 For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him; I hid my face and was wroth; 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 unto him and to his mourners.19 I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace, to him that is far off and to him that is near, saith Jehovah; and I will heal him.20 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, saith my God, to the wicked.