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“But[a] you, come near here, you children of a soothsayer,
    offspring of an adulterer and she who commits fornication.
At whom do you make fun?
    At whom do you open[b] your mouth and stick out[c] your tongue?
Are you not children of transgression,
    offspring of deception,
who burn with lust among the oaks,
    under every leafy tree,
who slaughter children in the valleys,
    under the clefts of the rocks?
Your portion is among the smooth stones of the valley;
    they, they are your lot;
indeed, to them you have poured out a drink offering,
    you have brought a food offering.

Shall I relent concerning these things?

You have set your bed upon a high and lofty mountain;
    indeed, you went up there to slaughter sacrifice.
And you have set your symbol behind the door and the doorpost;
    for you depart[d] from me, and you go up;
you make your bed wide, and you make a deal with[e] them,
    you have loved their bed; you have seen their genitals.[f]
And you climbed down to the king with oil,
    and you made your perfumes numerous,
and you sent your envoys far away,[g]
    and you sent down deep[h] to Sheol.
10 You grow weary by the greatness of your way,
    but you did not say, ‘Despairing!’
You found the renewal[i] of your strength,[j]
    therefore you do not grow weak.
11 And of whom were you afraid and feared, that you deceived
    and did not remember me?
    Did you not place it on your heart?
Have I not been silent, even from long ago,
    and so you do not fear me?
12 I myself will declare your righteousness and your works,
    but[k] they will not benefit you.
13 When you cry,[l] let your collection deliver you,
    and the wind will carry all of them away;
    a breath will take them away.
But[m] he who takes refuge in me shall take possession of the land,
    and he shall inherit my holy mountain.”[n]

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 57:3 Or “And”
  2. Isaiah 57:4 Literally “widen”
  3. Isaiah 57:4 Literally “make long”
  4. Isaiah 57:8 The reading tradition (Qere) has “uncover,” which makes no sense in context, but with different vowels it would be “depart”
  5. Isaiah 57:8 Literally “cut off for yourself from”
  6. Isaiah 57:8 Literally “hand”
  7. Isaiah 57:9 Literally “to from far”
  8. Isaiah 57:9 Literally “humiliated”
  9. Isaiah 57:10 Literally “life”
  10. Isaiah 57:10 Literally “hand;” compare the “hand” in verse 8
  11. Isaiah 57:12 Or “and”
  12. Isaiah 57:13 Literally “your crying”
  13. Isaiah 57:13 Or “And”
  14. Isaiah 57:13 Literally “mountain of holiness “

“But come here,
(A)You sons of the sorceress,
You offspring of the adulterer and the harlot!
Whom do you ridicule?
Against whom do you make a wide mouth
And stick out the tongue?
Are you not children of transgression,
Offspring of falsehood,
Inflaming yourselves with gods (B)under every green tree,
(C)Slaying the children in the valleys,
Under the clefts of the rocks?
Among the smooth (D)stones of the stream
Is your portion;
They, they, are your lot!
Even to them you have poured a drink offering,
You have offered a grain offering.
Should I receive comfort in (E)these?

“On(F) a lofty and high mountain
You have set (G)your bed;
Even there you went up
To offer sacrifice.
Also behind the doors and their posts
You have set up your remembrance;
For you have uncovered yourself to those other than Me,
And have gone up to them;
You have enlarged your bed
And [a]made a covenant with them;
(H)You have loved their bed,
Where you saw their [b]nudity.
(I)You went to the king with ointment,
And increased your perfumes;
You sent your (J)messengers far off,
And even descended to Sheol.
10 You are wearied in the length of your way;
(K)Yet you did not say, ‘There is no hope.’
You have found the life of your hand;
Therefore you were not grieved.

11 “And (L)of whom have you been afraid, or feared,
That you have lied
And not remembered Me,
Nor taken it to your heart?
Is it not because (M)I have [c]held My peace from of old
That you do not fear Me?
12 I will declare your righteousness
And your works,
For they will not profit you.
13 When you cry out,
Let your collection of idols deliver you.
But the wind will carry them all away,
A breath will take them.
But he who puts his trust in Me shall possess the land,
And shall inherit My holy mountain.”

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 57:8 Lit. cut
  2. Isaiah 57:8 Lit. hand, a euphemism
  3. Isaiah 57:11 remained silent