- 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].
- 2
- He entereth into peace;
they rest in their beds, each one that walketh in his uprightness.
- 3
- But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the harlot.
- 4
- 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,
- 5
- ye that inflame yourselves among the oaks, under every green tree;
that slay the children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?
- 6
- 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?
- 7
- Upon a high and lofty mountain hast thou set thy bed;
thither also wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.
- 8
- 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.
- 9
- 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.
- 10
- 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.
- 11
- 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?
- 12
- I will declare thy righteousness;
and as for thy works, they shall not profit thee.
- 13
- 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.
- 14
- 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.
- 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.
- 16
- 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.
- 17
- 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.
- 18
- I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.
- 19
- 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.
- 20
- But the wicked are like the troubled sea;
for it cannot rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt.
- 21
- There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.
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