King James Bible

English Standard Version

The Blessed Death of the Righteous

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

Israel’s Futile Idolatry

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

God Condemns Idolatry

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

3

But you, draw near,
sons of the sorceress,
offspring of the adulterer and the loose woman.

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

Whom are you mocking?
Against whom do you open your mouth wide
and stick 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,a
under every green tree,
who slaughter 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 grain offering.
Shall I relent for these things?

7

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

7

On a high and lofty mountain
you have set your bed,
and there 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 memorial;
for, deserting me, you have uncovered your bed,
you have gone up to it,
you have made it wide;
and you have made a covenant for yourself with them,
you have loved their bed,
you have looked on nakedness.b

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 the king 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.c

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 lay it to heart?
Have I not held my peace, even for a long time,
and you do not fear me?

12

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

12

I will declare your righteousness and your deeds,
but they will not profit 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 all 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

Healing for the Repentant

And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.

14

Comfort for the Contrite

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 One who is high and lifted up,
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 lowly spirit,
to revive the spirit of the lowly,
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 forever,
nor will I always be angry;
for the spirit would grow faint before me,
and the breath of life that I made.

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 unjust gain I was angry,
I struck 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 restore comfort to him and 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 the LORD; and I will heal him.

19

creating the fruit of the lips.
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 be quiet,
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.”

Parallel

King James Bible

English Standard Version

Isaiah 57

Isaiah 57