¶ The righteous¹ perisheth, and no man² layeth it to heart: and merciful men³ are taken away, none considering that the righteous⁴ is taken away from the evil to come⁵.

He shall⁶ enter into⁷ peace: they shall rest⁸ in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness⁹.

¶ But draw¹⁰ near hither, ye sons¹¹ of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore.

Against¹² whom do ye sport¹³ yourselves? against whom make¹⁴ ye a wide mouth, and draw¹⁵ out the tongue? are ye¹⁶ not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood,

Enflaming yourselves with idols¹⁸ under¹⁹ every green tree, slaying²⁰ the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks?

Among the smooth²¹ stones of the stream is thy portion; they, they are thy lot: even to them²² hast thou poured a drink offering, thou hast offered a meat offering. Should²³ I receive comfort in these?

²⁴Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.

Behind the doors²⁵ also and the posts hast thou set up thy remembrance: for²⁶ thou hast discovered thyself to another than me, and art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed, and made thee a covenant with them;²⁷ thou lovedst their bed where thou sawest it²⁸.

And thou wentest to the king²⁹ with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes³⁰, and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase³¹ thyself even unto hell.

¶ Thou art wearied³² in the greatness of thy way; yet saidst thou not, There is³³ no hope: thou hast found the life³⁴ of thine hand; therefore thou wast not grieved.

And of whom³⁵ hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou³⁶ hast lied, and hast³⁷ not remembered me, nor³⁸ laid it to thy heart? have not³⁹ I held my peace even of old, and thou fearest me not?

⁴⁰I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee.

¶ When thou criest, let⁴¹ thy companies deliver thee; but the⁴² wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he⁴³ that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy⁴⁴ mountain;

And shall say, Cast⁴⁵ ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take⁴⁶ up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.

For thus saith the high⁴⁷ and lofty One that inhabiteth⁴⁸ eternity, whose⁴⁹ name is Holy; I dwell⁵⁰ in the high and holy place, with⁵¹ him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit⁵² of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

For I will not⁵³ contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls⁵⁴ which I have made.

¶ For the iniquity⁵⁵ of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid⁵⁶ me, and was wroth, and he⁵⁷ went on frowardly⁵⁸ in the way of his heart.

I have⁵⁹ seen his ways, and will heal⁶⁰ him: I will lead⁶¹ him also, and restore⁶² comforts unto him and to his⁶³ mourners.

I create⁶⁴ the fruit⁶⁵ of the lips; Peace⁶⁶, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him.

¶ But the wicked are like⁶⁷ the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.

⁶⁸There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.