1The righteous man perisheth, and no one layeth it to heart; And pious men are taken away, and none considereth That because of the evil the righteous man is taken away.
2He entereth into peace; He resteth in his bed, Every one that walketh in uprightness.
3But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, Ye brood of the adulterer and the harlot!
4Of whom do ye make your sport, And at whom do ye make wide the mouth, And draw out the tongue? Are ye not rebellious children, a treacherous brood?
5Burning with lust for idols Under every green tree, Slaying children in the valleys, Under the clefts of the rocks?
6With the smooth stones of the valley is thy portion; These, these are thy lot; Here thou pourest out thy drink-offering, And presentest thy meat-offering; Can I see such things, and be at rest?
7Upon a high and lofty mountain settest thou thy bed; Thither dost thou go up to offer sacrifice;
8Behind the doors and the posts dost thou place thy memorial; Thou departest from me, and uncoverest, and ascendest, and enlargest thy bed. Thou makest an agreement with them; Thou desirest their bed; Thou choosest a place.
9Thou goest to the king with oil, And takest much precious perfume; Thou sendest thine ambassadors afar, Yea, down to the under-world.
10In the length of thy journeys thou hast wearied thyself, But thou sayest not, “I will desist”; Thou yet findest life in thy hand, Therefore thou art not discouraged.
11On account of whom art thou anxious, and of whom art thou afraid, that thou hast proved false, And hast not remembered me, nor laid it to heart? Behold, I have been silent a long time; Therefore thou fearest me not.
12But now I announce thy deliverance, And thy works do not profit thee.
13When thou criest, let thy host of idols deliver thee! But the wind shall bear them all away; A breath shall take them off; But he that putteth his trust in me Shall possess the land, And shall inherit my holy mountain.
14Men shall say, Cast up, cast up, prepare the road; Remove every obstruction from the way of my people!
15For 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.
16For I will not contend forever, Nor will I be always angry; For life would fail before me, And the souls which I created.
17For the guilt of his covetousness I was angry; I smote him, I hid myself, and was angry; But yet he went on perversely in the way of his heart.
18I have seen his ways, yet will I heal him; I will guide him, and I will restore comfort To him and to his mourners;
19I create the fruit of the lips. Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is nigh, Saith Jehovah; I will heal him.
20But the wicked is like the troubled sea, Which cannot rest, Whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
21There is no peace, saith my God, for the wicked.