1 ¶ The righteous perishes, and no man lays it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.

The righteous perishes, And no man takes it to heart; Merciful men are taken away, While no one considers That the righteous is taken away from evil.

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

He shall enter into peace; They shall rest in their beds, Each one walking in his uprightness.

3 ¶ But come here, ye sons of the sorceress, generation of the adulterer and the whore.

“But come here, You sons of the sorceress, You offspring of the adulterer and the harlot!

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

Whom do you ridicule? Against whom do you make a wide mouth And stick out the tongue? Are you not children of transgression, Offspring of falsehood,

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

Inflaming yourselves with gods under every green tree, Slaying the children in the valleys, Under the clefts of the rocks?

6 A mong the smooth stones of the valley is thy portion; they, they are thy lot: even unto them hast thou poured a drink offering, thou hast offered a present. Should I not avenge these things?

Among the smooth stones of the stream Is your portion; They, they, are your lot! Even to them you have poured a drink offering, You have offered a grain offering. Should I receive comfort in these?

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

“On a lofty and high mountain You have set your bed; Even there you went up To offer sacrifice.

8 B ehind the doors also and the posts thou hast 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 didst love their bed wherever thou didst see it.

Also behind the doors and their posts You have set up your remembrance; For you have uncovered yourself to those other than Me, And have gone up to them; You have enlarged your bed And made a covenant with them; You have loved their bed, Where you saw their nudity.

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

You went to the king with ointment, And increased your perfumes; You sent your messengers far off, And even descended to Sheol.

10 T hou became wearied in the multitude of thy ways; yet thou didst not say, There is no remedy: thou hast found that which thou wast searching for; therefore thou repented not.

You are wearied in the length of your way; Yet you did not say, ‘There is no hope.’ You have found the life of your hand; Therefore you were not grieved.

11 A nd of whom hast thou reverenced or feared? Why dost thou lie; that thou hast not remembered me, nor have I come to thy thought? Have I not held my peace even of old, and thou hast never feared me?

“And of whom have you been afraid, or feared, That you have lied And not remembered Me, Nor taken it to your heart? Is it not because I have held My peace from of old That you do not fear Me?

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

I will declare your righteousness And your works, For they will not profit you.

13 ¶ When thou criest, let thy companions deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he that waits in me shall have the land by inheritance and shall possess the mountain of my holiness.

When you cry out, Let your collection of idols deliver you. But the wind will carry them all away, A breath will take them. But he who puts his trust in Me shall possess the land, And shall inherit My holy mountain.” Healing for the Backslider

14 A nd shall say, Clear away, clear away, level the way, take away the stumblingblocks out of the way of my people.

And one shall say, “Heap it up! Heap it up! Prepare the way, Take the stumbling block out of the way of My people.”

15 F or thus has said the high and lofty One that inhabits eternity, whose name is The Holy One; I dwell in the high place and in holiness and with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to cause the spirit of the humble to live and to cause the heart of the contrite ones to live.

For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has 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 by me is the spirit covered by the body, and I have made the souls.

For I will not contend forever, Nor will I always be angry; For the spirit would fail before Me, And the souls which I have made.

17 ¶ For the iniquity of his covetousness I was wroth and smote him: I hid my face and was wroth, and he went on rebelliously in the way of his heart.

For the iniquity of his covetousness I was angry and struck him; I hid and was angry, And he went on 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, and will heal him; I will also lead him, And restore comforts to him And to his mourners.

19 I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off and to him that is near, said the LORD; and healed him.

“I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near,” Says the Lord, “And I will heal him.”

20 B ut the wicked are like the sea in tempest, that cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.

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

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

“ There is no peace,” Says my God, “for the wicked.”