1 T he 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.

The righteous man perishes, and no one lays it to heart; and merciful and devout men are taken away, with no one considering that the uncompromisingly upright and godly person is taken away from the calamity and evil to come.

2 H e shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.

He enters into peace; they rest in their beds, each one who walks straight and in his uprightness.

3 B ut draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore.

But come close, you sons of a sorceress, you offspring of an adulterer and a harlot.

4 A gainst 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,

Against whom do you make sport and take your delight? Against whom do you open wide your mouth and put out your tongue? Are you not yourselves the children of transgression, the offspring of deceit—

5 e nflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks?

You who burn with lust among the oaks, under every green tree, you who slay the children in the valleys under the clefts of the rocks?

6 A mong 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?

Among the smooth stones of the valley is your portion; they, they are your lot; to them you have poured out a drink offering, you have offered a cereal offering. Should I be quiet in spite of all these things ?

7 U pon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.

Upon a lofty and high mountain you have openly and shamelessly set your bed; even there you went up to offer sacrifice.

8 B ehind 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.

Behind the door and the doorpost you have set up your symbol. Deserting Me, you have uncovered and ascended and enlarged your bed; and you have made a bargain for yourself with, and you loved their bed, where you saw.

9 A nd 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.

And you went to the king or to Molech with oil and increased your perfumes and ointments; you sent your messengers far off and debased yourself even to Sheol (Hades).

10 T hou 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.

You were wearied with the length of your way, yet you did not say, There is no result or profit. You found quickened strength; therefore you were not faint or heartsick.

11 A nd 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?

Of whom have you been so afraid and in dread that you lied and were treacherous and did not remember Me, did not even give Me a thought? Have I not been silent, even for a long time, and so you do not fear Me?

12 I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee.

I will expose your righteousness and your doings, but they will not help you.

13 W hen 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;

When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you! But the wind shall take them all, a breath shall carry them away. But he who takes refuge in Me shall possess the land and shall inherit My holy mountain.

14 a nd shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.

And the word of One shall go forth, Cast up, cast up, prepare the way! Take up the stumbling block out of the way of My people.

15 F or 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.

For thus says the high and lofty One—He Who inhabits eternity, Whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, but with him also who is of a thoroughly penitent and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the thoroughly penitent.

16 F or 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.

For I will not contend forever, neither will I be angry always, for the spirit would faint and be consumed before Me, and creating the souls of men would be frustrated.

17 F or 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.

Because of the iniquity of his covetousness and unjust gain I was angry and smote him. I hid my face and was angry, and he went on turning away and 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.

I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him also and will recompense him and restore comfort to him and to those who mourn for him.

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.

Peace, peace, to him who is far off and to him who is near! says the Lord; I create the fruit of his lips, and I will heal him.

20 B ut the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.

But the wicked are like the troubled sea, for it cannot rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt.

21 T here is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.

There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked.