Isaiah 58:1–5

“Shout it aloud, do not hold back.

Raise your voice like a trumpet.

Declare to my people their rebellion

and to the descendants of Jacob their sins.

For day after day they seek me out;

they seem eager to know my ways,

as if they were a nation that does what is right

and has not forsaken the commands of its God.

They ask me for just decisions

and seem eager for God to come near them.

‘Why have we fasted,’ they say,

‘and you have not seen it?

Why have we humbled ourselves,

and you have not noticed?’

“Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please

and exploit all your workers.

Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife,

and in striking each other with wicked fists.

You cannot fast as you do today

and expect your voice to be heard on high.

Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,

only a day for people to humble themselves?

Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed

and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?

Is that what you call a fast,

a day acceptable to the Lord?

“Cry out loudly, don’t hold back!

Raise your voice like a trumpet.

Tell my people their transgression

and the house of Jacob their sins.

They seek me day after day

and delight to know my ways,

like a nation that does what is right

and does not abandon the justice of their God.

They ask me for righteous judgments;

they delight in the nearness of God.”

“Why have we fasted, but you have not seen?

We have denied ourselves, but you haven’t noticed!”

“Look, you do as you please on the day of your fast,

and oppress all your workers.

You fast with contention and strife

to strike viciously with your fist.

You cannot fast as you do today,

hoping to make your voice heard on high.

Will the fast I choose be like this:

A day for a person to deny himself,

to bow his head like a reed,

and to spread out sackcloth and ashes?

Will you call this a fast

and a day acceptable to the Lord?

“Shout with the voice of a trumpet blast.

Shout aloud! Don’t be timid.

Tell my people Israel of their sins!

Yet they act so pious!

They come to the Temple every day

and seem delighted to learn all about me.

They act like a righteous nation

that would never abandon the laws of its God.

They ask me to take action on their behalf,

pretending they want to be near me.

‘We have fasted before you!’ they say.

‘Why aren’t you impressed?

We have been very hard on ourselves,

and you don’t even notice it!’

“I will tell you why!” I respond.

“It’s because you are fasting to please yourselves.

Even while you fast,

you keep oppressing your workers.

What good is fasting

when you keep on fighting and quarreling?

This kind of fasting

will never get you anywhere with me.

You humble yourselves

by going through the motions of penance,

bowing your heads

like reeds bending in the wind.

You dress in burlap

and cover yourselves with ashes.

Is this what you call fasting?

Do you really think this will please the Lord?

“Call with the throat; you must not keep back!

lift up your voice like a trumpet,

and declare to my people their rebellion,

and to the house of Jacob their sins.

Yet they seek me day by day,

and they desire the knowledge of my ways

like a nation that practiced righteousness,

and had not forsaken the judgment of its God;

they ask me for righteous judgments,

they desire the closeness of God.

‘Why do we fast, and you do not see it?

We humiliate our soul, and you do not notice it?’

Look! You find delight on the day of your fast,

and you oppress all your workers!

Look! You fast to quarrel and strife,

and to strike with a wicked fist.

You shall not fast as you do today,

to make your voice heard on the height.

Is the fast I choose like this,

a day for humankind to humiliate himself?

To bow his head like a reed,

and make his bed on sackcloth and ashes;

you call this a fast

and a day of pleasure to Yahweh?

Cry aloud, spare not,

Lift up thy voice like a trumpet,

And shew my people their transgression,

And the house of Jacob their sins.

Yet 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.

Wherefore 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.

Behold, 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.

Is 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?