Isaiah 58

1Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.footnote a

2Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.

3Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.footnote b

4Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.footnote c

5Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?footnote d

6Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?footnote efootnote f

7Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?footnote g

8Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.footnote h

9Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;

10And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:

11And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.footnote ifootnote j

12And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.

13If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:

14Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

True Fasts and Sabbaths

1“Cry aloud, do not hold back!Raise your voice like a ram’s horn.Declare to My people their transgressionand to the house of Jacob their sins. 2For day after day they seek Meand delight to know My ways,like a nation that does what is rightand does not forsake the justice of their God.They ask Me for righteous judgments;they delight in the nearness of God.”

3“Why have we fasted,and You have not seen?Why have we humbled ourselves,and You have not noticed?”“Behold, on the day of your fast, you do as you please,and you oppress all your workers. 4You fast with contention and strifeto strike viciously with your fist.You cannot fast as you do todayand have your voice be heard on high.

5Is this the fast I have chosen:a day for a man to deny himself,to bow his head like a reed,and to spread out sackcloth and ashes?Will you call this a fastand a day acceptable to the LORD?

6Isn’t this the fast that I have chosen:to break the chains of wickedness,to untie the cords of the yoke,to set the oppressed freeand tear off every yoke? 7Isn’t it to share your bread with the hungry,to bring the poor and homeless into your home,to clothe the naked when you see him,and not to turn awayfrom your own flesh and blood?

8Then your light will break forth like the dawn,and your healing will come quickly.Your righteousness will go before you,and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. 9Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;you will cry out, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’If you remove the yoke from your midst,the pointing of the finger and malicious talk, 10and if you give yourself to the hungryand satisfy the afflicted soul,then your light will go forth in the darkness,and your night will be like noonday. 11The LORD will always guide you;He will satisfy you in a sun-scorched landand strengthen your frame.You will be like a well-watered garden,like a spring whose waters never fail. 12Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins;you will restore the age-old foundations;you will be called Repairer of the Breach,Restorer of the Streets of Dwelling.

13If you turn your foot from breaking the Sabbath,from doing as you please on My holy day,if you call the Sabbath a delight,and the LORD’s holy day honorable,if you honor it by not going your own wayor seeking your own pleasure or speaking idle words, 14then you will delight yourself in the LORD,and I will make you ride on the heights of the landand feed you with the heritage of your father Jacob.”For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.