1The righteous perish,
and no-one takes it to heart;
the devout are taken away,
and no-one understands
that the righteous are taken away
to be spared from evil.
2Those who walk uprightly
enter into peace;
they find rest as they lie in death.
3‘But you – come here, you children of a sorceress,
you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes!
4Who are you mocking?
At whom do you sneer
and stick out your tongue?
Are you not a brood of rebels,
the offspring of liars?
5You burn with lust among the oaks
and under every spreading tree;
you sacrifice your children in the ravines
and under the overhanging crags.
6The idols among the smooth stones of the ravines are your portion;
indeed, they are your lot.
Yes, to them you have poured out drink offerings
and offered grain offerings.
In view of all this, should I relent?
7You have made your bed on a high and lofty hill;
there you went up to offer your sacrifices.
8Behind your doors and your doorposts
you have put your pagan symbols.
Forsaking me, you uncovered your bed,
you climbed into it and opened it wide;
you made a pact with those whose beds you love,
and you looked with lust on their naked bodies.
9You went to Molek57:9 Or to the king with olive oil
and increased your perfumes.
You sent your ambassadors57:9 Or idols far away;
you descended to the very realm of the dead!
10You wearied yourself by such going about,
but you would not say, “It is hopeless.”
You found renewal of your strength,
and so you did not faint.
11‘Whom have you so dreaded and feared
that you have not been true to me,
and have neither remembered me
nor taken this to heart?
Is it not because I have long been silent
that you do not fear me?
12I will expose your righteousness and your works,
and they will not benefit you.
13When you cry out for help,
let your collection of idols save you!
The wind will carry all of them off,
a mere breath will blow them away.
But whoever takes refuge in me
will inherit the land
and possess my holy mountain.’
Comfort for the contrite
14And it will be said:
‘Build up, build up, prepare the road!
Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people.’
15For this is what the high and exalted One says –
he who lives for ever, whose name is holy:
‘I live 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.
16I will not accuse them for ever,
nor will I always be angry,
for then they would faint away because of me –
the very people I have created.
17I was enraged by their sinful greed;
I punished them, and hid my face in anger,
yet they kept on in their wilful ways.
18I have seen their ways, but I will heal them;
I will guide them and restore comfort to Israel’s mourners,
19creating praise on their lips.
Peace, peace, to those far and near,’
says the Lord.
‘And I will heal them.’
20But the wicked are like the tossing sea,
which cannot rest,
whose waves cast up mire and mud.
21‘There is no peace,’ says my God, ‘for the wicked.’
1Those who are right with God die.
And no one really cares about it.
People who are faithful to the Lord are swept away by trouble.
And no one understands why that happens
to those who do what is right.
2Those who lead honest lives
will enjoy peace and rest when they die.
3The Lord says, “Come here,
you children of women who practice evil magic!
You are children of prostitutes and those who commit adultery.
4Who are you making fun of?
Who are you laughing at?
Who are you sticking your tongue out at?
You are people who refuse to obey me.
You are just a bunch of liars!
5You burn with sinful desire among the oak trees.
You worship your gods under every green tree.
You sacrifice your children in the valleys.
You also do it under the cliffs.
6You have chosen some of the smooth stones in the valleys to be your gods.
You have joined yourselves to them.
You have even poured out drink offerings to them.
You have given grain offerings to them.
So why should I take pity on you?
7You have made your bed on a very high hill.
You went up there to offer your sacrifices.
8You have set up statues to remind you of your gods.
You have put them behind your doors and doorposts.
You deserted me. You invited other lovers into your bed.
You climbed into it and welcomed them.
You made a deal with them.
And you looked with desire at their naked bodies.
9You took olive oil to the god named Molek.
You took a lot of perfume along with you.
You sent your messengers to places far away.
You even sent them down to the place of the dead.
10You wore yourself out with all your efforts.
But you would not say, ‘It’s hopeless.’
You received new strength.
So you did not give up.
11“Who are you so afraid of
that you have not been faithful to me?
You have not remembered me.
What you do doesn’t even bother you.
I have not punished you for a long time.
That is why you are not afraid of me.
12You have not done what is right or good.
I will let everyone know about it.
And that will not be of any benefit to you.
13Go ahead and cry out for help to all the statues of your gods.
See if they can save you!
The wind will carry them off.
Just a puff of air will blow them away.
But anyone who comes to me for safety
will receive the land.
They will possess my holy mountain of Zion.”
The Lord Comforts People Who Are Sorry for Their Sins
14A messenger says,
“Build up the road! Build it up! Get it ready!
Remove anything that would keep my people from coming back.”
15The God who is highly honored lives forever.
His name is holy. He says,
“I live in a high and holy place.
But I also live with anyone who turns away from their sins.
I live with anyone who is not proud.
I give new life to them.
I give it to anyone who turns away from their sins.
16I will not find fault with my people forever.
I will not always be angry with them.
If I were, I would cause their spirits to grow weak.
The people I created would faint away.
17I was very angry with them.
They always longed for more and more of everything.
So I punished them for that sin.
I turned my face away from them because I was angry.
But they kept on wanting their own way.
18I have seen what they have done.
But I will heal them.
I will guide them.
I will give those who mourn in Israel the comfort they had before.
19Then they will praise me.
I will give perfect peace to those who are far away and those who are near.
And I will heal them,” says the Lord.
20But those who are evil are like the rolling sea.
It never rests.
Its waves toss up mud and sand.
21“There is no peace for those who are evil,” says my God.
