Isaiah 57

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 ' .

He entereth into peace ; they rest in their beds, each one that walketh in his uprightness.

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

Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and put out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood ,

ye that inflame yourselves among the oaks, under every green tree ; that slay the children in the valleys , under the clefts of the rocks?

Among the smooth ` stones ' of the valley is thy portion; they, they are thy lot ; even to them hast thou poured a drink - offering, thou hast offered an oblation . Shall I be appeased for these things ?

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

And behind the doors and the posts hast thou set up thy memorial : for thou hast uncovered ` 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.

And thou wentest to the king with oil , and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thine ambassadors far off, and didst debase thyself even unto Sheol .

Thou wast wearied with the length of thy way; yet saidst thou not, It is in vain : thou didst find a quickening of thy strength ; therefore thou wast not faint .

And of whom hast thou been afraid and in fear , that thou liest , and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of long time , and thou fearest me not?

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

When thou criest, let them that thou hast gathered deliver thee; but the wind shall take them, a breath shall carry them all away: but he that taketh refuge in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain .

And he will say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumbling-block out of the way of my people.

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.

For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth ; for the spirit would faint before me, and the souls that I have made.

For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him ; I hid `my face' and was wroth ; and he went on backsliding in the way of his heart.

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

I create the fruit of the lips : Peace, peace , to him that is far off and to him that is near, saith Jehovah ; and I will heal him.

But the wicked are like the troubled sea ; for it cannot rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt.

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