21 “I hate, I despise your religious festivals;

your assemblies are a stench to me.

22 Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings,

I will not accept them.

Though you bring choice fellowship offerings,

I will have no regard for them.

23 Away with the noise of your songs!

I will not listen to the music of your harps.

24 But let justice roll on like a river,

righteousness like a never-failing stream!

21 “I hate, I despise your feasts,

and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.

22 Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,

I will not accept them;

and the peace offerings of your fattened animals,

I will not look upon them.

23 Take away from me the noise of your songs;

to the melody of your harps I will not listen.

24 But let justice roll down like waters,

and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

21 I hate, I despise your feast days,

And I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.

22 Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them:

Neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts.

23 Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs;

For I will not hear the melody of thy viols.

24 But let judgment run down as waters,

And righteousness as a mighty stream.

21 “I hate all your show and pretense—

the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies.

22 I will not accept your burnt offerings and grain offerings.

I won’t even notice all your choice peace offerings.

23 Away with your noisy hymns of praise!

I will not listen to the music of your harps.

24 Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice,

an endless river of righteous living.

21 “I hate, I despise your feast days,

And I do not savor your sacred assemblies.

22 Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings,

I will not accept them,

Nor will I regard your fattened peace offerings.

23 Take away from Me the noise of your songs,

For I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments.

24 But let justice run down like water,

And righteousness like a mighty stream.

21 The Lord says, “I hate and reject your feasts;

I cannot stand your religious meetings.

22 If you offer me burnt offerings and grain offerings,

I won’t accept them.

You bring your best fellowship offerings of fattened cattle,

but I will ignore them.

23 Take the noise of your songs away from me!

I won’t listen to the music of your harps.

24 But let justice flow like a river,

and let goodness flow like a never-ending stream.

21 I hate, I despise your feasts, and I will take no delight in your solemn assemblies. 22 Yea, though ye offer me your burnt-offerings and meal-offerings, I will not accept them; neither will I regard the peace-offerings of your fat beasts. 23 Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols. 24 But let justice roll down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.

21 I hate, I despise your feasts, and I will not smell a sweet odour in your solemn assemblies. 22 For if ye offer up unto me burnt-offerings and your oblations, I will not accept them; neither will I regard the peace-offerings of your fatted beasts. 23 Take away from me the noise of thy songs, and I will not hear the melody of thy lutes; 24 but let judgment roll down as waters, and righteousness as an ever-flowing stream.

21 I hate your festivals; I despise them. 

I’m not pleased with your religious assemblies. 

22 Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, 

I won’t accept them. 

I won’t even look at the fellowship offerings of your choicest animals. 

23 Spare me the sound of your songs. 

I won’t listen to the music of your harps. 

24 But let justice flow like a river 

and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. 

21 I hate, I despise your feasts!

I can’t stand the stench

of your solemn assemblies.

22 Even if you offer Me

your burnt offerings and grain offerings,

I will not accept them;

I will have no regard

for your fellowship offerings of fattened cattle.

23 Take away from Me the noise of your songs!

I will not listen to the music of your harps.

24 But let justice flow like water,

and righteousness, like an unfailing stream.

21 I hate, I despise your festivals,

and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.

22 Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,

I will not accept them;

and the offerings of well-being of your fatted animals

I will not look upon.

23 Take away from me the noise of your songs;

I will not listen to the melody of your harps.

24 But let justice roll down like waters,

and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

21 “I hate, I despise your festivals, and I take no delight in your assemblies. 22 Yes, even if you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them, and I will not look at the fellowship offerings of your fattened animals. 23 Remove from me the noise of your songs, and I do not want to hear the melody of your harps! 24 But let justice roll on like the water, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

21 The Lord says,

“I hate your holy feasts.

I can’t stand them.

I hate it when you gather together.

22 You bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings.

But I will not accept them.

You bring your best friendship offerings.

But I will not even look at them.

23 Take the noise of your songs away!

I will not listen to the music of your harps.

24 I want you to treat others fairly.

So let fair treatment roll on

just as a river does!

Always do what is right.

Let right living flow along

like a stream that never runs dry!