1The righteous man perishes [at the hand of evil], and no one takes it to heart;Faithfuland devout men are taken away, while no one understandsThat the righteous person is taken away [to be spared] from disasterand evil.2He enters into peace [through death];They rest in their beds (graves),Each one who walked uprightly [following God’s will, living with integrity].3“But come here, you sons of a sorceress [raised in deception and superstition],Offspring of an adulterer and a prostitute.4“Of whom do you make fun?Against whom do you open wide your mouthAnd stick out your tongue?Are you not children of rebellion (sin),Offspring of deceit,5Who inflame yourselves [with lust in pagan rites] among the oaks (terebinth trees),Under every greenand leafy tree,Who slaughter the children [in sacrifice] in the ravinesUnder the clefts of the rocks?6“Among the smoothstones of the ravineIs your portion, they (the idols) are your lot;Even to them you have poured out a drink offering,You have offered a grain offering.Should I be quiet concerning these things [leaving them unpunished--bearing them with patience]?7“Upon a high and lofty mountainYou have [openly and shamelessly] made your [idolatrous and adulterous] bed;Even there you went up to offer sacrifice [to idols, in spiritual unfaithfulness to Me].8“Behind the door and the doorpostYou have set up your [pagan] symbol;Indeed, far removed from Me, you have uncovered yourself,And have gone up and made your bed wide.And you have made a [new] agreement for yourself with the adulterers,You have loved their bed,You have looked [with passion] on their[a]manhood.9“You have gone to[b]the king [of a pagan land] with oilAnd increased your[c]perfumes;You have sent your messengers a great distanceAnd madethem go down to Sheol (the realm of the dead).10“You were wearied by the length of your road,Yet you did not say, ‘It is no use.’You found[d]renewed strength,Therefore you did not grow weak.11“About whom were you worried and fearfulThat you lied and did not[e]remember Me,Nor[f]give Me a thought?Was I not silent even for a long timeAnd [as a result] you do not fear Me?12“I will declare your [hypocritical] righteousness and your deeds,But they will not benefit you.13“When you cry out [for help], let your [ridiculous] collectionof idols save you.But the wind will carry them all away,A [mere] breath will take them.But he who takes refuge in Me will possess the land [Judea]And will inherit My holy mountain.”14And it will be said,
“Build up, build up, clear the way.Remove the stumbling block out of the way [of the spiritual return] of My people.”15For the high and exalted OneHe who inhabits eternity, Whose name is Holy says this,
“I dwell on the high and holy place,Butalso with the[g]contrite and humble in spiritIn order to revive the spirit of the humbleAnd to revive the heart of the contrite [overcome with sorrow for sin].16“For I will not contend forever,Nor will I always be angry;For [if I did stay angry] the spirit [of man] would grow weak before Me,And the breathof those whom I have created.17“Because of the wickedness of his unjust gain I was angry and struck him;I hidMy face and was angry,And he went on turning awayand backsliding, in the way of his [own willful] heart.18“I have seen his [willful] ways, but I will heal him;I will lead him [also] and will restore comfort to him and to those who mourn for him,19As I create the[h]praise of his lips,Peace, peace, to him who is far away [both Jew and Gentile] and to him who is near!”Says the LORD;“And I will heal him [making his lips blossom anew with thankful praise].”20But the wicked are like the tossing sea,For it cannot be quiet,And its waters toss up mire and mud.21“There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”
[a]8 Lithand.
[b]9 Another reading isMolech, i.e. to an idol of the pagan god.
[c]9 Litointments.
[d]10 Litthe life of your hand.
[e]11 Ormention.
[f]11 Litput on your heart.
[g]15 Litcrushed.
[h]19 Litfruit.