Evil Leaders Rebuked

1The righteous man perishes, and no man puts it upon his heart;

And men of lovingkindness are gathered away, while no one understands.

For the righteous man is gathered away from evil,

2He enters into peace;

They rest in their [†]beds,

Each one who walked in his upright way.

3“But draw near, you sons of a soothsayer,

Seed of an adulterer and [†]a prostitute.

4Against whom do you jest?

Against whom do you open wide your mouth

And stick out your tongue?

Are you not children of transgression,

Seed of lying,

5Who inflame yourselves among the [†]oaks,

Under every green tree,

Who slaughter the children in the [†]ravines,

Under the clefts of the cliffs?

6Among the [†]smooth stones of the [†]ravine

Is your portion, [†]they are your lot;

Even to them you have poured out a drink offering;

You have made a grain offering.

Shall I [†]relent concerning these things?

7Upon a mountain lofty and lifted up

You have made your bed.

You also went up there to offer sacrifice.

8Behind the door and the doorpost

You have set up your memorial;

Indeed, far removed from Me, you have uncovered yourself,

And have gone up and made your bed wide,

And you have cut a covenant for yourself with them;

You have loved their [†]bed;

You have looked on their [†]manhood.

9You have journeyed to the king with oil

And increased your perfumes;

You have sent your envoys a great distance

And made them go down to Sheol.

10You were tired out by the length of your road,

Yet you did not say, ‘It is hopeless.’

You found [†]renewed strength;

Therefore you did not [†]faint.

11“Of whom were you anxious and fearful

When you lied and did not remember Me,

Nor even put Me upon your heart?

Was I not silent even for a long time

So you do not fear Me?

12I will declare your righteousness and your deeds,

But they will not profit you.

13When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you.

But the wind will lift all of them up,

And a breath will take them away.

But he who takes refuge in Me will inherit the land

And will possess My holy mountain.”

Yahweh Revives the Spirit of the Lowly

14And it will be said,

“Build up, build up, prepare the way,

[†]Remove every stumbling block out of the way of My people.”

15For thus says the One high and lifted up

Who dwells forever, whose name is Holy,

“I dwell on a high and holy place,

And also with the crushed and lowly of spirit

In order to revive the spirit of the lowly

And to revive the heart of the crushed.

16For I will not contend forever,

Nor will I always be angry;

For the spirit would grow faint before Me,

And the breath of those whom I have made.

17Because of the iniquity of his greedy gain I was angry and struck him;

I hid My face and was angry,

And he went on turning away, in the way of his heart.

18I have seen his ways, but I will heal him;

I will lead him and pay him and his mourners in full with comfort,

19Creating the [†]praise of the lips.

Peace, peace to him who is far and to him who is near,”

Says Yahweh, “and I will heal him.”

20But the wicked are like the tossing sea,

For it cannot be quiet,

And its waters toss up refuse and mud.

21“There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”