1 See how the just man has perished, and no one lays it to heart: and righteous men are taken away, and no one considers: for the righteous has been removed out of the way of injustice. 2 His burial shall be in peace: he has been removed out of the way. 3 But draw near here, you lawless children, the seed of adulterers and the harlot. 4 In what have you been rioting? and against whom have you opened your mouth, and against whom have you loosed your tongue? are you not children of perdition? a lawless seed? 5 who call upon idols under the leafy trees, killing their children in the valleys among the rocks? 6 That is your portion, this is your lot: and you have poured out drink-offerings to them, and you have offered grain-offerings to these. Shall I not therefore be angry for these things? 7 On a lofty and high mountain, there is your bed, and there you carried up your grain-offerings: 8 and behind the posts of your door you placed your memorials. Did you think that if you should depart from me, you would gain? you have loved those that lay with you; 9 and you have multiplied your prostitution with them, and you have increased the number of those who are far from you, and have sent ambassadors beyond your borders, and have turned away, and have been debased even to hell. 10 You have wearied yourself with your many ways; yet you did not say, I will cease to strengthen myself: for you have done these things; therefore you have not pleaded with me. 11 Through dread of whom have you feared, and lied against me, and have not remembered, nor considered me, nor regarded me, yes, though when I see you I pass you by, yet you have not feared me. 12 And I will declare my righteousness, and your evil deeds, which shall not profit you. 13 When you cry out, let them deliver you in your affliction: for all these the wind shall take, and the tempest shall carry them away: but they that cling to me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain. 14 And they shall say, Clear the ways before him, and take up the stumbling blocks out of the way of my people. 15 Thus says the Lord, the Most High, who dwells on high for ever, Holy in the holies, is his name, the Lord Most High resting in the holies, and giving patience to the faint-hearted, and giving life to the broken-hearted:⁠a 16 I will not take vengeance on you for ever, neither will I be always angry with you: for my Spirit shall go forth from me, and I have created all breath. 17 On account of sin for a little while I grieved him,⁠b and struck him, and turned away my face from him; and he was grieved, and he went on sorrowful in his ways. 18 I have seen his ways, and healed him, and comforted him, and given him true comfort; 19 peace upon peace to those who are far off, and to those who are near: and the Lord has said, I will heal them. 20 But the unrighteous shall be tossed as troubled waves, and shall not be able to rest. 21 There is no joy to the ungodly, said the Lord God.