Open English Translation ISA Chapter 58

58 Shout loudly. Don’t hold back.

≈ Raise your voice like a trumpet

and confront my people with their wickedness,

≈ and Yakov’s descendants with their disobedience.

2 They search for me every day

and want to learn about my ways like a nation that does what is right,

and they haven’t abandoned the values of their god.

They ask me to make judgements that are far and right.

They want god to approach them.

3 Why did we fast, as you didn’t even look?

We humbled ourselves and you didn’t even notice?

Listen, when you fasted was it just for your own needs?

You all certainly drive your labourers hard!

4 Look, you all fast with strife and contention,

and strike out with vicious clenched fists.

You all don’t fast today to make your voices heard up on high.

5 Is that the kind of fasting that I would choose?

A day when a person humbles themself and bows their head down like a bulrush does.

They wear sackcloth and form a bed of ashes to sit on.

Is that really a fast that’s acceptable to Yahweh?

6 Isn’t this the fast that I would prefer?

When you all remove chains that were wickedly put on others,

≈ and undo the ropes from the yoke that forced them to comply?

Let go all those who’ve been crushed,

≈ and break every yoke that burdened them.

7 Isn’t it to share your food with those who’re hungry,

≈ and to bring the poor, homeless people into your house?

When you see someone naked, clothe them,

≈ and don’t hide yourself from your own relatives.

8 Then your light will break through like the dawn,

≈ and your healing will quickly spring up.

Your right actions will go ahead of you

≈ and Yahweh’s honour will follow along behind you.

9 Then you’ll call out and Yahweh will answer.

You’’ll cry for help and he’ll say, ‘Here I am.’

If you remove the burden of the yoke from among you,

as well as the pointing finger and wicked speech,

10 give yourself to the hungry

and give those who are suffering what they need

then your light will rise in the darkness

and your darkness will be like the noonday.

11 Then Yahweh will continually lead you

and satisfy your appetite in arid regions.

He’ll strengthen your bones and will be like a watered garden,

and like a spring that never runs dry.

12 Then some of you will rebuild the ancient ruins—

≈ you’ll restore the foundations from generations ago

and you’ll be called the repairer of the wall—

≈ the one who restores streets to live in.

13 If on the rest day, you turn back from what you wanted to do

and don’t try to please yourself on my sacred day,

enjoy Yahweh’s sacred and honourable rest day,

and honour it instead of doing your own activities such as finding your own pleasure or delivering a speech,

14 then you’ll take delight in Yahweh.

I’ll make you ride on the heights of the earth,

and I’ll give you the same blessings that I gave your ancestor, Yakov (Jacob).

That’s what Yahweh has spoken.