1 The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart; faithful people are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil.

The 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.

2 They find peace; they rest in their beds—those who walk in uprightness.

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

3 But as for you, come here, you offspring of sorceresses, you children of adulterers and prostitutes!

But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore.

4 Whom are you mocking? Against whom do you open wide your mouth and stick out your tongue? Are you not children of rebellion, offspring of deceit?

Against 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,

5 You burn with lust among the oaks, under every green tree; you slaughter children in the valleys, under crags of the cliffs.

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

6 Among the smooth stones of the valley is your portion; they, indeed, are your lot. To them you have poured out drink offerings and presented grain offerings. Should I relent concerning these things?

Among 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?

7 You have placed your bed on a high and lofty mountain; there you went up to offer sacrifices.

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

8 Behind your doors and doorposts you have set up your pagan symbols. Forsaking me, you uncovered your bed, climbing into it and opening it wide; you made a pact with them, you loved their beds and gazed on their manhood.

Behind 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.

9 You went to the king with oil and increased your perfumes; you sent your envoys far away; you even descended to the realm of the dead.

And 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.

10 You wearied yourself with your many ways, but you did not say, ‘It’s hopeless.’ You found renewal of your strength, and so you did not grow faint.

Thou 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.

11 Whom did you dread and fear, that you have been untruthful, and have not remembered me or taken it to heart? Is it not because I have long been silent that you do not fear me?

And 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?

12 I will expose your righteousness and your works, and they will not benefit you.

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

13 When you cry out for help, let your collection of idols save you! The wind will carry them all off, a mere breath will sweep them away. But whoever takes refuge in me will inherit the land and possess my holy mountain.

When 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;

14 And it will be said: 'Build up, build up, prepare the road! Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people.'

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

15 For this is what the high and exalted One says—he who lives forever, whose name is holy: 'I dwell in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.'

For 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.

16 I will not accuse forever, nor will I always be angry, for then the spirit would faint before me—the breath of life that I created.

For 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.

17 Because of their sinful greed, I was angry; I struck them and turned away in anger, yet they continued in their willful ways.

For 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.

18 I have seen their ways, but I will heal them; I will guide them and restore comfort to them and to those who mourn for them.

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

19 Creating praise on the lips: Peace, peace, to those far and near, says the LORD. And I will heal them.

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.

20 But the wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud.

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

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

There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.