| 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 righteous man perishes, and no one lays it to heart; devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from calamity, |
| 2 He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness. | 2 he enters into peace; they rest in their beds who walk in their uprightness. |
| 3 But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore. | 3 But you, draw near hither, sons of the sorceress, offspring of the adulterer and the harlot. |
| 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 are you making sport? Against whom do you open your mouth wide and put out your tongue? Are you not children of transgression, the offspring of deceit, |
| 5 Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks? | 5 you who burn with lust among the oaks, under every green tree; who slay your children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks? |
| 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 valley is your portion; they, they, are your lot; to them you have poured out a drink offering, you have brought a cereal offering. Shall I be appeased for 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 have set your bed, and thither 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 have set up your symbol; for, deserting me, you have uncovered your bed, you have gone up to it, you have made it wide; and you have made a bargain for yourself with them, you have loved their bed, you have looked on nakedness. |
| 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 You journeyed to Molech with oil and multiplied your perfumes; you sent your envoys far off, and sent down even to Sheol. |
| 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 You were wearied with the length of your way, but you did not say, "It is hopeless"; you found new life for your strength, and so you were not faint. |
| 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 Whom did you dread and fear, so that you lied, and did not remember me, did not give me a thought? Have I not held my peace, even for a long time, and so you do not fear me? |
| 12 I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee. | 12 I will tell of your righteousness and your doings, but they will not help you. |
| 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 When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you! The wind will carry them off, a breath will take them away. But he who takes refuge in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit 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 And it shall be said, "Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstruction from my people's way." |
| 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 the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite. |
| 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 For I will not contend for ever, nor will I always be angry; for from me proceeds the spirit, and I have made the breath of life. |
| 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 the iniquity of his covetousness I was angry, I smote him, I hid my face and was angry; but he went on backsliding in the way of his own 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. | 18 I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and requite him with comfort, creating for his mourners the fruit of the lips. |
| 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 Peace, peace, to the far and to the near, says the LORD; and I will heal him. |
| 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; for it cannot rest, and its waters toss up mire and dirt. |
| 21 There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked. | 21 There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked." |