Ésaïe 59:8

8 Ils ne connaissent pas le chemin de la paix, il n'y a point de justice dans leurs voies; ils se font des sentiers tortueux; tous ceux qui y marchent ne connaissent point la paix!

Ésaïe 59:8 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 59:8

The way of peace they know not
Neither the way of peace with God, supposing it is to be made by man, and not by Christ; and are ignorant of the steps and methods taken to procure it; nor do they know the way of peace of conscience, or how to attain to that which is true and solid; nor the way to eternal peace and happiness, which is alone by Christ, and the Gospel of peace reveals, to which they are strangers; nor the way of peace among men, which they are unconcerned about, and do not seek after, make use of no methods to promote, secure, and establish it; but all the reverse: and there is no judgment in their goings;
no justice in their actions, in their dealings with men; no judgment in their religious duties, which are done without any regard to the divine rule, or without being able to give a reason for them; they have no judgment in matters of doctrine or worship; they have no discerning of true and false doctrines, and between that which is spiritual and superstitious in worship; they have no knowledge of the word of God, which should be their guide both in faith and practice; but this they do not attend unto: they have made them crooked paths:
they have devised paths and modes of worship of their own, in which they walk, and which they observe, that are not according to the rule of the word; but deviate from it; and so may be said to be crooked, as not agreeable to that: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace;
the way of peace with God, as before; or he shall not have any experience of true, solid, and substantial peace in his own conscience now, and shall not attain to eternal peace hereafter.

Ésaïe 59:8 In-Context

6 Leurs toiles ne feront pas un vêtement, et ils ne pourront se vêtir de leurs ouvrages; leurs ouvrages sont des ouvrages d'iniquité, et leurs mains pleines d'actes de violence.
7 Leurs pieds courent au mal, et se hâtent pour répandre le sang innocent; leurs pensées sont des pensées d'iniquité; le ravage et la ruine sont sur leurs sentiers.
8 Ils ne connaissent pas le chemin de la paix, il n'y a point de justice dans leurs voies; ils se font des sentiers tortueux; tous ceux qui y marchent ne connaissent point la paix!
9 C'est pourquoi le jugement favorable s'est éloigné de nous, et la justice ne parvient pas jusqu'à nous. Nous attendons la lumière, et voici les ténèbres; l'éclat du jour, et nous marchons dans l'obscurité.
10 Nous allons à tâtons comme des aveugles le long d'un mur, nous tâtonnons comme des gens sans yeux; nous trébuchons en plein midi, comme sur la brune; dans l'abondance nous sommes comme morts.
The Ostervald translation is in the public domain.