| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1The 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; | 1The godly perish, but no one cares. Honest people disappear, when no one minds that the godly disappear because of evil. |
| 2he enters into peace; they rest in their beds who walk in their uprightness. | 2Those who live uprightly enter a place of peace; they rest on their beds. |
| 3But you, draw near, sons of the sorceress, offspring of the adulterer and the loose woman. | 3But approach, you sons of omen readers, you offspring of adulteresses and prostitutes! |
| 4Whom 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, | 4At 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, |
| 5you who burn with lust among the oaks, under every green tree, who slaughter your children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks? | 5you who practice ritual sex under the oaks and every green tree, who slaughter children near the streams under the rocky overhangs. |
| 6Among 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? | 6Among the smooth stones of the stream are the idols you love; they, they are the object of your devotion. You pour out liquid offerings to them, you make an offering. Because of these things I will seek vengeance. |
| 7On a high and lofty mountain you have set your bed, and there you went up to offer sacrifice. | 7On every high, elevated hill you prepare your bed; you go up there to offer sacrifices. |
| 8Behind 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. | 8Behind the door and doorpost you put your symbols. Indeed, you depart from me and go up and invite them into bed with you. You purchase favors from them, you love their bed, and gaze longingly on their genitals. |
| 9You journeyed to the king with oil and multiplied your perfumes; you sent your envoys far off, and sent down even to Sheol. | 9You take olive oil as tribute to your king, along with many perfumes. You send your messengers to a distant place; you go all the way to Sheol. |
| 10You 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. | 10Because of the long distance you must travel, you get tired, but you do not say, 'I give up.' You get renewed energy, so you don't collapse. |
| 11Whom 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? | 11Whom are you worried about? Whom do you fear, that you would act so deceitfully and not remember me or think about me? Because I have been silent for so long, you are not afraid of me. |
| 12I will declare your righteousness and your deeds, but they will not profit you. | 12I will denounce your so-called righteousness and your deeds, but they will not help you. |
| 13When 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. | 13When you cry out for help, let your idols help you! The wind blows them all away, a breeze carries them away. But the one who looks to me for help will inherit the land and will have access to my holy mountain." |
| 14And it shall be said, “Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstruction from my people’s way.” | 14He says, "Build it! Build it! Clear a way! Remove all the obstacles out of the way of my people!" |
| 15For 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. | 15For this is what the high and exalted one says, the one who rules forever, whose name is holy: "I dwell in an exalted and holy place, but also with the discouraged and humiliated, in order to cheer up the humiliated and to encourage the discouraged. |
| 16For 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. | 16For I will not be hostile forever or perpetually angry, for then man's spirit would grow faint before me, the life-giving breath I created. |
| 17Because 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. | 17I was angry because of their sinful greed; I attacked them and angrily rejected them, yet they remained disobedient and stubborn. |
| 18I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners, | 18I have seen their behavior, but I will heal them and give them rest, and I will once again console those who mourn. |
| 19creating the fruit of the lips. Peace, peace, to the far and to the near,” says the LORD, “and I will heal him. | 19I am the one who gives them reason to celebrate. Complete prosperity is available both to those who are far away and those who are nearby," says the LORD, "and I will heal them. |
| 20But the wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt. | 20But the wicked are like a surging sea that is unable to be quiet; its waves toss up mud and sand. |
| 21There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.” | 21There will be no prosperity," says my God, "for the wicked." |
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