The righteous perishes, and no man lays it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.

He that walks in his uprightness, shall enter in peace to them that rest in their graves.

But draw near, O sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the harlot.

Against whom do you make sport? against whom do you open wide your mouth, and draw out the tongue? are you not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood,

inflaming yourselves among the terebinths, under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clefts of the rocks?

Among the smooth stones of the wadi is thy portion; they, they are thy lot: even to them hast thou poured a drink offering, thou hast offered a meal offering. Shall I be appeased for these things?

Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: also thou wentest up to offer sacrifice.

Behind the doors also and the posts hast thou set up thy (unclean) symbol: for thou hast uncovered thyself to others than me, and art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed, and made a covenant with some of them; thou didst love their lying with thee, thou didst select a place.

And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far off, and sent down even to She᾽ol.

Thou art wearied with the length of the way; yet thou didst not say, It is hopeless: thou hast found a renewal of thy strength; therefore thou wast not sick.

And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou wast false, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? is it not that I held my peace even of old? therefore thou fearest me not?

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

When thou criest, let thy collection of idols deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them all away; a breath shall bear them off: but he that puts his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain.

And one shall say, Bank up, build up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.

For thus says the high and lofty One that inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell on high and in a holy place, yet with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always angry: but the spirit and the soul which I have made, should faint before me.

For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wrathful, and smote him; I hid me, and was angry: but he went on perversely in the way of his heart.

I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and bestow comforts on him and on his mourners.

I will create a new expression of the lips: Peace, peace, both for far and near, says the Lord. And I will heal him.

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

There will be no peace, says my God, for the wicked.