Isaiah 57

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 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.	1 The just man perishes, but no one takes it to heart; Devout men are swept away, with no one giving it a thought. Though he is taken away from the presence of evil, the just man
2 He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.	2 enters into peace; There is rest on his couch for the sincere, straightforward man.
3 But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore.	3 But you, draw near, you sons of a sorceress, adulterous, wanton race!
4 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,	4 Of whom do you make sport, at whom do you open wide your mouth, and put out your tongue? Are you not rebellious children, a worthless race;
5 Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks?	5 You who are in heat among the terebinths, under every green tree; You who immolate children in the wadies, behind the crevices in the cliffs?
6 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?	6 Among the smooth stones of the wadi is your portion, these are your lot; To these you poured out libations, and brought offerings. Should I decide not to punish these things?
7 Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.	7 Upon a high and lofty mountain you made your bed, and there you went up to offer sacrifice.
8 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.	8 Behind the door and the doorpost you placed your indecent symbol. Deserting me, you spread out your high, wide bed; And of those whose embraces you love you carved the symbol and gazed upon it
9 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.	9 While you approached the king with scented oil, and multiplied your perfumes; While you sent your ambassadors far away, down even to the nether world.
10 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.	10 Though worn out by your many misdeeds, you never said, "It is hopeless"; New strength you found, and so you did not weaken.
11 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?	11 Of whom were you afraid? Whom did you fear, that you became false And did not remember me or give me any thought? Was I to remain silent and unseeing, so that you would not have me to fear?
12 I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee.	12 I will expose your justice and your works;
13 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;	13 They shall not help you when you cry out, nor save you in your distress. All these the wind shall carry off, the breeze shall bear away; But he who takes refuge in me shall inherit the land, and possess my holy mountain.
14 And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.	14 Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove the stumbling blocks from my people's path.
15 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.	15 For thus says he who is high and exalted, living eternally, whose name is the Holy One: On high I dwell, and in holiness, and with the crushed and dejected in spirit, To revive the spirits of the dejected, to revive the hearts of the crushed.
16 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.	16 I will not accuse forever, nor always be angry; For their spirits would faint before me, the souls that I have made.
17 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.	17 Because of their wicked avarice I was angry, and struck them, hiding myself in wrath, as they went their own rebellious way.
18 I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.	18 I saw their ways, but I will heal them and lead them; I will give full comfort to them and to those who mourn for them,
19 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.	19 I, the Creator, who gave them life. Peace, peace to the far and the near, says the LORD; and I will heal them.
20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.	20 But the wicked are like the tossing sea which cannot be calmed, And its waters cast up mud and filth.
21 There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.	21 No peace for the wicked! says my God.