1 T he 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.

“The man who is right and good dies, and no one cares. Very good men are taken away, while no one understands. But the man who is right with God is taken away from what is sinful,

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

and goes where there is peace. They have rest in their graves, each one who walked in the right way.

3 B ut come close, you sons of a sorceress, you offspring of an adulterer and a harlot.

But come here, you sons of a witch, children of a man who does sex sins and a woman who sells the use of her body.

4 A gainst 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—

Against whom are you making fun? Against whom do you open your mouth wide and put out your tongue? Are you not children of sin, the young ones of lies?

5 Y ou 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?

You burn with desire with your false gods under every green tree. You put your children on the altar of your false gods in the valleys under high rocks that hang over.

6 A mong 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 ?

Your part is among the smooth stones of the valley. They are what you get. You have poured out drink gifts to them and given grain gifts. Should I be pleased about these things?

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

You have made your bed on a high mountain. And you went up there to give your gifts in worship.

8 B ehind 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.

You have put up your false gods behind the door on the other side. You have turned away from Me and have taken the covering off yourself. You have gone up and made your bed wide. You have made an agreement for yourselves with them. You have loved their bed, and have looked upon their bodies.

9 A nd 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).

You have traveled to the king with oil and much perfume. You have sent your men with gifts a very long way, and made them go down to the place of the dead.

10 Y ou 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.

You were tired because your road was so long, yet you did not say, ‘There is no hope.’ You found new strength, so you did not become weak.

11 O f 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?

“Of whom were you afraid, when you lied, and did not remember Me or think about Me? Have I not been quiet for a long time, so you are not afraid of Me?

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

I will make known how right you are and what you have done, but it will not help you.

13 W hen 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.

When you cry out, let the false gods that you have take you out of trouble. The wind will carry them away. A breath will take them away. But he who comes to Me to be safe will receive the land. My holy mountain will be his.” God’s Promise for Help

14 A nd 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.

It will be said, “Build up, build up, make the way ready. Take everything out of the way of My people.”

15 F or 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.

For the high and honored One Who lives forever, Whose name is Holy, says, “I live in the high and holy place. And I also live with those who are sorry for their sins and have turned from them and are not proud. I give new strength to the spirit of those without pride, and also to those whose hearts are sorry for their sins.

16 F or 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.

I will keep on fighting against you, and will not always be angry, for then your spirit would become weak before Me, the ones to whom I gave life.

17 B ecause 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.

Because of the sin of his desire to get more of everything, I was angry. I punished him and hid My face in anger. He went on sinning, following the way of his own heart.

18 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.

I have seen his ways and will heal him. I will lead him and give comfort to him and to those who have sorrow for him.

19 P eace, 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.

I will make the lips to praise. Peace, peace to him who is far and to him who is near,” says the Lord, “and I will heal him.”

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

But the sinful are like the troubled sea, for it cannot rest. Its waters throw up mud and dirt.

21 T here is no peace, says my God, for the wicked.

“There is no peace,” says my God, “for the sinful.”