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.
57:2 He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one
walking in his uprightness.
57:3 But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the
adulterer and the whore.
57:4 Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth,
and draw out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of
falsehood,
57:5 Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the
children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks?
57:6 Among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion; they, they are thy
lot: even to them hast thou poured a drink offering, thou hast offered a
meat offering. Should I receive comfort in these?
57:7 Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither
wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.
57:8 Behind the doors also and the posts hast thou set up thy remembrance:
for thou hast discovered 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.
57:9 And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy
perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase
thyself even unto hell.
57:10 Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way; yet saidst thou not, There
is no hope: thou hast found the life of thine hand; therefore thou wast
not grieved.
57:11 And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and
hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? have not I held my
peace even of old, and thou fearest me not?
57:12 I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not
profit thee.
57:13 When thou criest, let thy companies deliver thee; but the wind shall
carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he that putteth his
trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain;
57:14 And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the
stumblingblock out of the way of my people.
57:15 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 ones.
57:16 For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the
spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.
57:17 For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid
me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart.
57:18 I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and
restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.
57:19 I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and
to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him.
57:20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose
waters cast up mire and dirt.
57:21 There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.
