¹The godly perish,[#tn Or “righteous” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NAB “the just man”; TEV “Good people.”]

but no one cares.

Honest people disappear,

when no one minds

that the godly disappear because of evil.

²Those who live uprightly enter a place of peace;

they rest on their beds.

³But approach, you sons of omen readers,

you offspring of adulteresses and prostitutes!

⁴At whom are you laughing?

At whom are you opening your mouth

and sticking out your tongue?

You are the children of rebels,

the offspring of liars,

⁵you who practice ritual sex under the oaks and every green tree,[#tn Heb “inflame yourselves”; NRSV “burn with lust.” This verse alludes to the practice of ritual sex that accompanied pagan fertility rites.]

who slaughter children near the streams under the rocky overhangs.

⁶Among the smooth stones of the stream are the idols you love;

they, they are the object of your devotion.

You pour out liquid offerings to them,

you make an offering.

Because of these things I will seek vengeance.

⁷On every high, elevated hill you prepare your bed;

you go up there to offer sacrifices.

⁸Behind the door and doorpost you put your symbols.[#tn The precise referent of זִכָּרוֹן (zikkaron) in this context is uncertain. Elsewhere the word refers to a memorial or commemorative sign. Here it likely refers to some type of idolatrous symbol.]

Indeed, you depart from me and go up

and invite them into bed with you.

You purchase favors from them,

you love their bed,

and gaze longingly on their genitals.

⁹You take olive oil as tribute to your king,[#tn Heb “you journey with oil.”; #tn Heb “the king.” Since the context refers to idolatry and child sacrifice (see v. 5), some emend מֶלֶך (melekh, “king”) to “Molech.” Perhaps Israel’s devotion to her idols is likened here to a subject taking tribute to a ruler.]

along with many perfumes.

You send your messengers to a distant place;

you go all the way to Sheol.

¹⁰Because of the long distance you must travel, you get tired,[#tn Heb “by the greatness [i.e., “length,” see BDB 914 s.v. רֹב 2] of your way you get tired.”]

but you do not say, ‘I give up.’

You get renewed energy,

so you don’t collapse.

¹¹Whom are you worried about?

Whom do you fear, that you would act so deceitfully

and not remember me

or think about me?

Because I have been silent for so long,

you are not afraid of me.

¹²I will denounce your so-called righteousness and your deeds,[#tn Heb “I, I will declare your righteousness and your deeds.”]

but they will not help you.

¹³When you cry out for help, let your idols help you![#tn The Hebrew text has קִבּוּצַיִךְ (qibbutsayikh, “your gatherings”), an otherwise unattested noun from the verbal root קָבַץ (qavats, “gather”). Perhaps this alludes to their religious assemblies and by metonymy to their rituals. Since idolatry is a prominent theme in the context, some understand this as a reference to a collection of idols. The second half of the verse also favors this view.]

The wind blows them all away,

a breeze carries them away.

But the one who looks to me for help will inherit the land

and will have access to my holy mountain.”

¹⁴He says,[#tn Since God is speaking throughout this context, perhaps we should emend the text to “and I say.” However, divine speech is introduced in v. 15.]

“Build it! Build it! Clear a way!

Remove all the obstacles out of the way of my people!”

¹⁵For this is what the high and exalted one says,

the one who rules forever, whose name is holy:

“I dwell in an exalted and holy place,

but also with the discouraged and humiliated,

in order to cheer up the humiliated

and to encourage the discouraged.

¹⁶For I will not be hostile forever[#tn Or perhaps, “argue,” or “accuse” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV).]

or perpetually angry,

for then man’s spirit would grow faint before me,

the life-giving breath I created.

¹⁷I was angry because of their sinful greed;

I attacked them and angrily rejected them,

yet they remained disobedient and stubborn.

¹⁸I have seen their behavior,[#tn Heb “his ways” (so KJV, NASB, NIV); TEV “how they acted.”]

but I will heal them and give them rest,

and I will once again console those who mourn.

¹⁹I am the one who gives them reason to celebrate.[#tc The Hebrew text has literally, “one who creates fruit of lips.” Perhaps the pronoun אֲנִי (’ani) should be inserted after the participle; it may have been accidentally omitted by haplography: נוּב שְׂפָתָיִם[אֲנִי] בּוֹרֵא (bore’ [’ani] nuv sÿfatayim). “Fruit of the lips” is often understood as a metonymy for praise; perhaps it refers more generally to joyful shouts (see v. 18).]

Complete prosperity is available both to those who are far away and those who are nearby,”

says the Lord , “and I will heal them.

²⁰But the wicked are like a surging sea

that is unable to be quiet;

its waves toss up mud and sand.

²¹There will be no prosperity,” says my God, “for the wicked.”