New Living Translation NLT
Hebrew Names Version HNV
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 understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come.
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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].
2 For those who follow godly paths will rest in peace when they die.
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He enters into shalom; they rest in their beds, each one who walks in his uprightness.
3 “But you—come here, you witches’ children, you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes!
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But draw near here, you sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the prostitute.
4 Whom do you mock, making faces and sticking out your tongues? You children of sinners and liars!
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Against whom do you sport yourselves? against whom make you a wide mouth, and put out the tongue? Aren't you children of disobedience, a seed of falsehood,
5 You worship your idols with great passion beneath the oaks and under every green tree. You sacrifice your children down in the valleys, among the jagged rocks in the cliffs.
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you who inflame yourselves among the oaks, under every green tree; who kill the children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?
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?
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Among the smooth [stones] of the valley is your portion; they, they are your lot; even to them have you poured a drink-offering, you have offered an offering. Shall I be appeased for these things?
7 You have committed adultery on every high mountain. There you have worshiped idols and have been unfaithful to me.
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On a high and lofty mountain have you set your bed; there also you went up to offer sacrifice.
8 You have put pagan symbols on your doorposts and behind your doors. You have left me and climbed into bed with these detestable gods. You have committed yourselves to them. You love to look at their naked bodies.
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Behind the doors and the posts have you set up your memorial: for you have uncovered [yourself] to another than me, and are gone up; you have enlarged your bed, and made you a covenant with them: you loved their bed where you saw it.
9 You have gone to Molech with olive oil and many perfumes, sending your agents far and wide, even to the world of the dead.
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You went to the king with oil, and did increase your perfumes, and did send your ambassadors far off, and did debase yourself even to She'ol.
10 You grew weary in your search, but you never gave up. Desire gave you renewed strength, and you did not grow weary.
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You were wearied with the length of your way; yet you didn't say, It is in vain: you found a reviving of your strength; therefore you weren't faint.
11 “Are you afraid of these idols? Do they terrify you? Is that why you have lied to me and forgotten me and my words? Is it because of my long silence that you no longer fear me?
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Of whom have you been afraid and in fear, that you lie, and have not remembered me, nor laid it to your heart? Haven't I held my shalom even of long time, and you don't fear me?
12 Now I will expose your so-called good deeds. None of them will help you.
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I will declare your righteousness; and as for your works, they shall not profit you.
13 Let’s see if your idols can save you when 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 land and possess my holy mountain.”
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When you cry, let those who you have gathered deliver you; but the wind shall take them, a breath shall carry them all away: but he who takes refuge in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain.
14 God says, “Rebuild the road! Clear away the rocks and stones so my people can return from captivity.”
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He will say, Cast up, cast up, prepare the way, take up the stumbling-block out of the way of my people.
15 The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One, says this: “I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts.
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For thus says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.
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.
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For I will not contend forever, neither will I be always angry; for the spirit would faint before me, and the souls who 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.
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For the iniquity of his covetousness was I angry, and struck him; I hid [my face] and was angry; and he went on backsliding in the way of his heart.
18 I have seen what they do, but I will heal them anyway! I will lead them. I will comfort those who mourn,
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I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts to him and to his mourners.
19 bringing words of praise to their lips. May they have abundant peace, both near and far,” says the LORD, who heals them.
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I create the fruit of the lips: Shalom, shalom, to him who is far off and to him who is near, says the LORD; and I will heal him.
20 “But those who still reject me are like the restless sea, which is never still but continually churns up mud and dirt.
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But the wicked are like the troubled sea; for it can't rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt.
21 There is no peace for the wicked,” says my God.
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There is no shalom, says my God, to the wicked.