4 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.

4 Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight

and to hit with a wicked fist.

Fasting like yours this day

will not make your voice to be heard on high.

4 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.

4 What good is fasting

when you keep on fighting and quarreling?

This kind of fasting

will never get you anywhere with me.

4 Indeed you fast for strife and debate,

And to strike with the fist of wickedness.

You will not fast as you do this day,

To make your voice heard on high.

4 On these special days when you fast, you argue and fight

and hit each other with your fists.

You cannot do these things as you do now

and believe your prayers are heard in heaven.

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

4 Behold, ye have fasted for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness; ye do not at present fast, to cause your voice to be heard on high.

4 Don’t you see that when you fast, 

you quarrel and fight and beat your workers? 

The way you fast today keeps you from being heard in heaven. 

4 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.

4 Look, you fast only to quarrel and to fight

and to strike with a wicked fist.

Such fasting as you do today

will not make your voice heard on high.

4 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.

4 When you fast, it ends in arguing and fighting.

You hit one another with your fists.

That is an evil thing to do.

The way you are now fasting

keeps your prayers from being heard in heaven.