1 Taisnais aiziet bojā, un neviens to neņem pie sirds, dievbijīgie kļūst nedienu nomākti, un neviens to neievēro, jo taisnais tieši tiek valdošā ļaunuma aizrauts.
2 Bet pie miera nāk un atdusas savā dusas vietā mierīgi ikviens, kas godam gājis savu taisno ceļu.
3 Jūs turpretī panāciet drusku šurp, jūs zīlnieces bērni, laulības pārkāpēja un netikles dzimums!
4 Par ko jūs smejaties? Pret ko jūs atplešat savu muti un izkāpāt savu mēli? Vai jūs neesat atkritēju bērni, melu dzimums?
5 Jūs, kas kvēlojat grēcīgā degsmē pret saviem elkiem zem katra kuplāka koka, jūs, kas nogalināt bērnus klinšu spraugās!
6 Tu pārāk esi veltījis sevi gludajiem upes akmeņiem, tie tevi valdzināja, tu nesi tiem ari dzepamos un ēdamos upupus. Vai tas lai Man patiktu?
7 Uz katra augsta kalna tu ierīkoji sev nometni, tu kāpi tur augšā nest kaujamos upupus.
8 Pie durvju stenderes tu piestiprināji savus elka dievu teikumus, jo, atkritis no Manis, tu kāp augšup savā plašajā nometnē, tu vienojies ar tiem un mīli viņu nometni, kur tu to atrodi.
9 Tu gāji ar eļļu pie ķēniņa nesdams daudz smaržīgu zāļu, tu sūtīji tālu savus vēstnešus un locījies pie zemes līdz ellei.
10 Kad tu noguri savā garajā ceļā, tu tomēr nesacīji: „Velti, tur nekas neiznāk.“ Bet tu meklēji sevi jaunu spēku, tādēļ tu nepaguri.
11 No kā tev bija bail un ko tu bijies, kad tu Mani aizliedzi, Mani vairs nepieminēji un neņēmi pie sirds? Vai ne tādēļ, ka Es no sendienām cietu klusu? Tādēļ tu Mani nebijies.
12 Bet tagad Es parādīšu, kāda tava taisnība un kādi tavi darbi un ka tie tev nepalīdzēs.
13 Kad tu tad brēksi, tad lai tev palīdz tavs dievekļu pulks! Bet vējš visus tos aiznesīs, mutes dvašas uzpūtiens tos aizraus. Bet kas uz Mani paļaujas, tie iemantos zemi, un tiem piederēs mans svētais kalns.
14 Un Viņš sacīs: „Dariet līdzenu, dariet līdzenu, sataisiet ceļu! Novāciet visus šķēršļus no manas tautas ceļa!“
15 Jo tā saka tas Augstais un Varenais, kas mūžīgi dzīvo, Viņa vārds ir Svētais: „Es dzīvoju augšā un svētnīcā un pie tiem, kam sagrauzts un pazemīgs gars, lai atdzīvinātu garu pazemotiem un spirdzinātu sirdi sagrauztiem.
16 Es nerāšos mūžīgi un nedusmo-šos vienumēr, jo manā priekšā tad nonīktu ikviens gars un ikviena dvēsele, ko Es radīju.
17 Es biju dusmīgs tikai par tās (tas ir—tautas) ļauno mantkārību un piemeklēju to sodīdams, pie kam Es dusmās paslēpos, kamēr tā gāja savu pašizraudzīto atkritējas ceļu.
18 Es redzēju gan tās ceļus, un tomēr Es to dziedināšu, to vadīšu un tai un it īpaši tās cietējiem sniegšu kā atlīdzību apmierinājumu,
19 Pie kam Es kā lūpu augli radīšu mieru, —mieru tālajiem un tuvajiem!“ —saka tas Kungs, —„un Es to dziedināšu.
20 Bet bezdievji ir kā saviļņota jūŗa, kas nevar rimt, bet kuŗas ūdeņi uzvanda dūņas un dubļus.“
21 „Bezdievjiem nav miera!“ —saka mans Dievs.
Israel's Idolatry Is Condemned
1 Good people die, and no one understands or even cares. But when they die, no calamity can hurt them. 2 Those who live good lives find peace and rest in death.
3 Come here to be judged, you sinners! You are no better than sorcerers, adulterers, and prostitutes. 4 Who are you making fun of? Who are you liars jeering at? 5 You worship the fertility gods by having sex under those sacred trees of yours. You offer your children as sacrifices in the rocky caves near stream beds. 6 You take smooth stones from there and worship them as gods. You pour out wine as offerings to them and bring them grain offerings. Do you think I am pleased with all this? 7 You go to the high mountains to offer sacrifices and have sex. 8 You set up your obscene idols just inside your front doors. You forsake me; you take off your clothes and climb in your large beds with your lovers, whom you pay to sleep with you. And there you satisfy your lust. 9 You put on your perfumes and ointments and go to worship the god Molech. To find gods to worship, you send messengers far and wide, even to the world of the dead. 10 You wear yourselves out looking for other gods, but you never give up. You think your obscene idols give you strength, and so you never grow weak.
11 The Lord says, “Who are these gods that make you afraid, so that you tell me lies and forget me completely? Have you stopped honoring me because I have kept silent for so long? 12 You think that what you do is right, but I will expose your conduct, and your idols will not be able to help you. 13 When you cry for help, let those idols of yours save you! A puff of wind will carry them off! But those who trust in me will live in the land and will worship me in my Temple.”
God's Promise of Help and Healing
14 The Lord says, “Let my people return to me. Remove every obstacle from their path! Build the road and make it ready!
15 “I am the high and holy God, who lives forever. I live in a high and holy place, but I also live with people who are humble and repentant, so that I can restore their confidence and hope. 16 I gave my people life, and I will not continue to accuse them or be angry with them forever. 17 I was angry with them because of their sin and greed, and so I punished them and abandoned them. But they were stubborn and kept on going their own way.
18 “I have seen how they acted, but I will heal them. I will lead them and help them, and I will comfort those who mourn. 19 I offer peace to all, both near and far! I will heal my people. 20 But evil people are like the restless sea, whose waves never stop rolling in, bringing filth and muck. 21 There is no safety for sinners,” says the Lord.