1 Good people pass away;the godly often die before their time.But no one seems to care or wonder why.No one seems to understandthat God is protecting them from the evil to come.
2 For those who follow godly pathswill rest in peace when they die.
3 “But you—come here, you witches’ children,you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes!
4 Whom do you mock,making faces and sticking out your tongues?You children of sinners and liars!
5 You worship your idols with great passionbeneath the oaks and under every green tree.You sacrifice your children down in the valleys,among the jagged rocks in the cliffs.
6 Your gods are the smooth stones in the valleys.You worship them with liquid offerings and grain offerings.They, not I, are your inheritance.Do you think all this makes me happy?
7 You have committed adultery on every high mountain.There you have worshiped idolsand have been unfaithful to me.
8 You have put pagan symbolson your doorposts and behind your doors.You have left meand climbed into bed with these detestable gods.You have committed yourselves to them.You love to look at their naked bodies.
9 You have gone to Molechwith olive oil and many perfumes,sending your agents far and wide,even to the world of the dead.
10 You grew weary in your search,but you never gave up.Desire gave you renewed strength,and you did not grow weary.
11 “Are you afraid of these idols?Do they terrify you?Is that why you have lied to meand forgotten me and my words?Is it because of my long silencethat you no longer fear me?
12 Now I will expose your so-called good deeds.None of them will help you.
13 Let’s see if your idols can save youwhen you cry to them for help.Why, a puff of wind can knock them down!If you just breathe on them, they fall over!But whoever trusts in me will inherit the landand possess my holy mountain.”
14 God says, “Rebuild the road!Clear away the rocks and stonesso my people can return from captivity.”
15 The high and lofty one who lives in eternity,the Holy One, says this:“I live in the high and holy placewith those whose spirits are contrite and humble.I restore the crushed spirit of the humbleand revive the courage of those with repentant hearts.
16 For I will not fight against you forever;I will not always be angry.If I were, all people would pass away—all the souls I have made.
17 I was angry,so I punished these greedy people.I withdrew from them,but they kept going on their own stubborn way.
18 I have seen what they do,but I will heal them anyway!I will lead them.I will comfort those who mourn,
19 bringing words of praise to their lips.May they have abundant peace, both near and far,”says the lord, who heals them.
20 “But those who still reject me are like the restless sea,which is never stillbut continually churns up mud and dirt.
21 There is no peace for the wicked,”says my God.