1The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart; and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from before the evil.

2He entereth into peace: they rest in their beds, each one that hath walked in his uprightness.

3But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the harlot.

4Against whom do ye sport yourselves? Against whom do ye make a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? Are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood,

5inflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clefts of the rocks?

6Among the smooth stones of the torrent is thy portion; they, they are thy lot: even to them hast thou poured out a drink-offering, thou hast offered an oblation. Shall I be comforted myself as to these things?

7Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither didst thou go up to offer sacrifice.

8Behind the doors also and the posts hast thou set up thy remembrance: for apart from me, thou hast uncovered thyself, and art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed, and hast made agreement with them; thou lovedst their bed, thou sawest their nakedness.

9And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst multiply thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers afar off, and didst debase thyself unto Sheol.

10Thou wast wearied by the multitude of thy ways; but thou saidst not, It is of no avail. Thou didst find a quickening of thy strength; therefore thou wast not sick of it.

11And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and hast not remembered me, nor taken it to heart? Have not I even of long time held my peace, and thou fearest me not?

12I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; and they shall not profit thee.

13When thou criest, let them that are gathered by thee deliver thee! But a wind shall carry them all away, a breath shall take them; but he that putteth his trust in me shall inherit the land, and possess my holy mountain.

14And it shall be said, Cast up, cast up, prepare the way, take up the stumbling-blocks out of the way of my people.

15For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, and whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, and with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

16For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth; for the spirit would fail before me, and the souls which I have made.

17For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him; I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on backslidingly in the way of his heart.

18I have seen his ways, and will heal him; and I will lead him, and will restore comforts unto him and to those of his that mourn.

19I create the fruit of the lips: peace, peace to him that is afar off, and to him that is nigh, saith Jehovah; and I will heal him.

20But the wicked are like the troubled sea, which cannot rest, and whose waters cast up mire and dirt.

21There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.