57:1 The godly¹ perish,
but no one cares.²
Honest people disappear,³
when no one⁴ minds⁵ that
the godly⁶ disappear⁷ because of⁸ evil.⁹
57:2 Those who live uprightly enter a place of peace,
they rest on their beds.¹⁰
57:3 But approach, you sons of omen readers,
you offspring of adulteresses and prostitutes!¹¹
57:4 At whom are you laughing?
At whom are you opening your mouth
and sticking out your tongue?
You are the children of rebels,
the offspring of liars,¹²
57:5 you who have sex¹³ under the oaks and every green tree,
who slaughter children near the streams under the rocky overhangs.¹⁴
57:6 Among the smooth stones of the stream are the idols you love,
they, they are the object of your devotion.¹⁵
You pour out liquid offerings to them,
you make an offering.
Because of these things I will get revenge.¹⁶
57:7 On every high, elevated hill you prepare your bed,
you go up there to offer sacrifices.
57:8 Behind the door and doorpost you put your symbols.¹⁷
Indeed¹⁸ you depart from me¹⁹ and go up
and invite them into bed with you.²⁰
You purchase favors from them,²¹
you love their bed,
and gaze longingly²² on their genitals.²³
57:9 You take oil as tribute²⁴ to your king,²⁵
along with many perfumes.²⁶
You send your messengers to a distant place,
you go all the way to Sheol.²⁷
57:10 Because of the long distance you must travel, you get tired,²⁸
but you do not say, ‘I give up.’²⁹
You get renewed energy,³⁰
so you don’t collapse.³¹
57:11 Whom are you worried about?
Whom do you fear that you would act so deceitfully,
and not remember me,
or think about me?³²
Because I have been silent for so long,³³
you aren’t afraid of me.³⁴
57:12 I will denounce your so-called “righteousness” and your deeds,³⁵
but they will not help you.
57:13 When you cry out for help, let your idols³⁶ help you!
The wind blows them all away,³⁷
a breeze carries them away.³⁸
But the one who looks to me for help³⁹ will inherit the land,
and will have access to⁴⁰ my holy mountain.”
57:14 He says,⁴¹
“Build it! Build it! Clear a way!
Remove all the obstacles out of the way of my people!”
57:15 For this is what the high and exalted one says,
the one who rules⁴² forever, whose name is holy:
“I dwell in an exalted and holy place,
but also with the discouraged and humiliated,⁴³
in order to cheer up the humiliated
and to encourage the discouraged.⁴⁴
57:16 For I will not be hostile⁴⁵ forever,
or perpetually angry,
for then man’s spirit would grow faint before me,⁴⁶
the life giving breath I created.
57:17 I was angry because of their sinful greed,
I attacked them and angrily rejected them,⁴⁷
yet they remained disobedient and stubborn.⁴⁸
57:18 I have seen their behavior,⁴⁹
but I will heal them and give them rest,
and I will once again console those who mourn.⁵⁰
57:19 I am the one who gives them reason to celebrate.⁵¹
Complete prosperity⁵² is available to both those who are far away and nearby,” says the LORD, “and I will heal them.
57:20 But the wicked are like a surging sea
that is unable to be quiet;
its waves toss up mud and sand.
57:21 There will be no prosperity,” says my God, “for the wicked.”