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 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 entereth into peace; they rest in their beds, each one that walketh 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 draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the 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 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,

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 e that inflame yourselves among the oaks, under every green tree; that 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 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?

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 high and lofty mountain hast thou set thy bed; thither also wentest thou 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 A nd 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.

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 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.

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 T hou 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.

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 A nd 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?

“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 declare thy righteousness; and as for thy works, they shall not profit thee.

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

13 W hen 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.

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 he will say, Cast ye up, cast ye 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 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.

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 for ever, neither will I be always wroth; for the spirit would faint before me, and the souls that I have made.

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 F or 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.

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, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.

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 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.

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, saith my God, to the wicked.

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