11 “Whom have you so dreaded and feared(A)
    that you have not been true to me,
and have neither remembered(B) me
    nor taken this to heart?(C)
Is it not because I have long been silent(D)
    that you do not fear me?
12 I will expose your righteousness and your works,(E)
    and they will not benefit you.
13 When you cry out(F) for help,
    let your collection of idols save(G) you!
The wind will carry all of them off,
    a mere breath will blow(H) them away.
But whoever takes refuge(I) in me
    will inherit the land(J)
    and possess my holy mountain.”(K)

Comfort for the Contrite

14 And it will be said:

“Build up, build up, prepare the road!(L)
    Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people.”(M)
15 For this is what the high and exalted(N) One says—
    he who lives forever,(O) whose name is holy:
“I live in a high(P) and holy place,
    but also with the one who is contrite(Q) and lowly in spirit,(R)
to revive the spirit of the lowly
    and to revive the heart of the contrite.(S)
16 I will not accuse(T) them forever,
    nor will I always be angry,(U)
for then they would faint away because of me—
    the very people(V) I have created.
17 I was enraged by their sinful greed;(W)
    I punished them, and hid(X) my face in anger,
    yet they kept on in their willful ways.(Y)
18 I have seen their ways, but I will heal(Z) them;
    I will guide(AA) them and restore comfort(AB) to Israel’s mourners,
19     creating praise on their lips.(AC)
Peace, peace,(AD) to those far and near,”(AE)
    says the Lord. “And I will heal them.”
20 But the wicked(AF) are like the tossing sea,(AG)
    which cannot rest,
    whose waves cast up mire(AH) and mud.
21 “There is no peace,”(AI) says my God, “for the wicked.”(AJ)

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20 “The Redeemer(A) will come to Zion,(B)
    to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,”(C)
declares the Lord.

21 “As for me, this is my covenant(D) with them,” says the Lord. “My Spirit,(E) who is on you, will not depart from you,(F) and my words that I have put in your mouth(G) will always be on your lips, on the lips of your children and on the lips of their descendants—from this time on and forever,” says the Lord.

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