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. |
2 Those who walk uprightly
enter into peace;
they find rest as they lie in death. |
3 "But you-come here, you sons of a sorceress,
you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes! |
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? |
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. |
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? |
7 You have made your bed on a high and lofty hill;
there you went up to offer your sacrifices. |
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. |
9 You went to Molech1 57:9 Or to the king with olive oil
and increased your perfumes.
You sent your ambassadors2 57:9 Or idols far away;
you descended to the grave3 57:9 Hebrew Sheol itself! |
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. |
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? |
12 I will expose your righteousness and your works,
and they will not benefit you. |
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." |
|
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. |
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. |
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. |
18 I have seen his ways, but I will heal him;
I will guide him and restore comfort to him, |
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." |
20 But the wicked are like the tossing sea,
which cannot rest,
whose waves cast up mire and mud. |
21 "There is no peace," says my God, "for the wicked." |
