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 before the evil.

2 H e entereth into peace: they rest in their beds, that hath walked in his uprightness.

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

4 A gainst whom do ye sport yourselves? Against whom do ye make a wide mouth, draw out the tongue? Are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood,

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

6 A mong the smooth of the torrent is thy portion; they, they are thy lot: even to them hast thou poured out a drink-offering, thou hast offered an oblation. Shall I be comforted myself as to these things?

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

8 B ehind the doors also and the posts hast thou set up thy remembrance: for apart from me, thou hast uncovered thyself, and art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed, and hast made agreement with them; thou lovedst their bed, thou sawest their nakedness.

9 A nd thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst multiply thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers afar off, and didst debase thyself unto Sheol.

10 T hou wast wearied by the multitude of thy ways; thou saidst not, It is of no avail. Thou didst find a quickening of thy strength; therefore thou wast not sick.

11 A nd of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and hast not remembered me, nor taken it to heart? Have not I even of long time held my peace, and thou fearest me not?

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

13 W hen thou criest, let them that are gathered by thee deliver thee! But a wind shall carry them all away, a breath shall take them; but he that putteth his trust in me shall inherit the land, and possess my holy mountain.

14 A nd it shall be said, Cast up, cast up, prepare the way, take up the stumbling-blocks out of the way of my people.

15 F or thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, and whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy, and with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

16 F or I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth; for the spirit would fail before me, and the souls I have made.

17 F or the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him; I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on backslidingly in the way of his heart.

18 I have seen his ways, and will heal him; and I will lead him, and will restore comforts unto him and to those of his that mourn.

19 I create the fruit of the lips: peace, peace to him afar off, and to him nigh, saith Jehovah; and I will heal him.

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

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