| NET Bible | New International Version |
| 1The godly perish, but no one cares. Honest people disappear, when no one minds that the godly disappear because of evil. | 1The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart; the devout are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. |
| 2Those who live uprightly enter a place of peace; they rest on their beds. | 2Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death. |
| 3But approach, you sons of omen readers, you offspring of adulteresses and prostitutes! | 3"But you--come here, you children of a sorceress, you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes! |
| 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, | 4Who are you mocking? At whom do you sneer and stick out your tongue? Are you not a brood of rebels, the offspring of liars? |
| 5you who practice ritual sex under the oaks and every green tree, who slaughter children near the streams under the rocky overhangs. | 5You burn with lust among the oaks and under every spreading tree; you sacrifice your children in the ravines and under the overhanging crags. |
| 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. | 6The idols among the smooth stones of the ravines are your portion; indeed, they are your lot. Yes, to them you have poured out drink offerings and offered grain offerings. In view of all this, should I relent? |
| 7On every high, elevated hill you prepare your bed; you go up there to offer sacrifices. | 7You have made your bed on a high and lofty hill; there you went up to offer your sacrifices. |
| 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. | 8Behind your doors and your doorposts you have put your pagan symbols. Forsaking me, you uncovered your bed, you climbed into it and opened it wide; you made a pact with those whose beds you love, and you looked with lust on their naked bodies. |
| 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. | 9You went to Molek with olive oil and increased your perfumes. You sent your ambassadors far away; you descended to the very realm of the dead! |
| 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. | 10You wearied yourself by such going about, but you would not say, 'It is hopeless.' You found renewal of your strength, and so you did not faint. |
| 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. | 11"Whom have you so dreaded and feared that you have not been true to me, and have neither remembered me nor taken this to heart? Is it not because I have long been silent that you do not fear me? |
| 12I will denounce your so-called righteousness and your deeds, but they will not help you. | 12I will expose your righteousness and your works, and they will not benefit you. |
| 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." | 13When you cry out for help, let your collection of idols save you! The wind will carry all of them off, a mere breath will blow them away. But whoever takes refuge in me will inherit the land and possess my holy mountain." |
| 14He says, "Build it! Build it! Clear a way! Remove all the obstacles out of the way of my people!" | 14And it will be said: "Build up, build up, prepare the road! Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people." |
| 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. | 15For this is what the high and exalted One says-- he who lives forever, whose name is holy: "I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. |
| 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. | 16I will not accuse them forever, nor will I always be angry, for then they would faint away because of me-- the very people I have created. |
| 17I was angry because of their sinful greed; I attacked them and angrily rejected them, yet they remained disobedient and stubborn. | 17I was enraged by their sinful greed; I punished them, and hid my face in anger, yet they kept on in their willful ways. |
| 18I have seen their behavior, but I will heal them and give them rest, and I will once again console those who mourn. | 18I have seen their ways, but I will heal them; I will guide them and restore comfort to Israel's mourners, |
| 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. | 19creating praise on their lips. Peace, peace, to those far and near," says the LORD. "And I will heal them." |
| 20But the wicked are like a surging sea that is unable to be quiet; its waves toss up mud and sand. | 20But the wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud. |
| 21There will be no prosperity," says my God, "for the wicked." | 21"There is no peace," says my God, "for the wicked." |
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