“Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please^(K)
    and exploit all your workers.
⁴ Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife,^(L)
    and in striking each other with wicked fists.
You cannot fast as you do today
    and expect your voice to be heard^(M) on high.
⁵ Is this the kind of fast^(N) I have chosen,
    only a day for people to humble^(O) themselves?
Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed^(P)
    and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?^(Q)
Is that what you call a fast,
    a day acceptable to the Lord?

⁶ “Is not this the kind of fasting^(R) I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice^(S)
    and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed^(T) free
    and break every yoke?^(U)
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry^(V)
    and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter^(W)—
when you see the naked, to clothe^(X) them,
    and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?^(Y)
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,^(Z)
    and your healing^(AA) will quickly appear;
then your righteousness^[a](AB) will go before you,
    and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.^(AC)
9 Then you will call,^(AD) and the Lord will answer;^(AE)
    you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

“If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
    with the pointing finger^(AF) and malicious talk,^(AG)
10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
    and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,^(AH)
then your light^(AI) will rise in the darkness,
    and your night will become like the noonday.^(AJ)
11 The Lord will guide^(AK) you always;
    he will satisfy your needs^(AL) in a sun-scorched land^(AM)
    and will strengthen^(AN) your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,^(AO)
    like a spring^(AP) whose waters never fail.
¹² Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins^(AQ)
    and will raise up the age-old foundations;^(AR)
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,^(AS)
    Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

¹³ “If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath^(AT)
    and from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight^(AU)
    and the Lord’s holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way
    and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,^(AV)
14 then you will find your joy^(AW) in the Lord,
    and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights^(AX) of the land
    and to feast on the inheritance^(AY) of your father Jacob.”
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.^(AZ)

⁹ So justice is far from us,
    and righteousness does not reach us.
We look for light, but all is darkness;^(BW)
    for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows.
¹⁰ Like the blind^(BX) we grope along the wall,
    feeling our way like people without eyes.
At midday we stumble^(BY) as if it were twilight;
    among the strong, we are like the dead.^(BZ)
11 We all growl like bears;
    we moan mournfully like doves.^(CA)
We look for justice, but find none;
    for deliverance, but it is far away.

¹² For our offenses^(CB) are many in your sight,
    and our sins testify^(CC) against us.
Our offenses are ever with us,
    and we acknowledge our iniquities:^(CD)
13 rebellion^(CE) and treachery against the Lord,
    turning our backs^(CF) on our God,
inciting revolt and oppression,^(CG)
    uttering lies^(CH) our hearts have conceived.
¹⁴ So justice^(CI) is driven back,
    and righteousness^(CJ) stands at a distance;
truth^(CK) has stumbled in the streets,
    honesty cannot enter.
¹⁵ Truth^(CL) is nowhere to be found,
    and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey.

The Lord looked and was displeased
    that there was no justice.^(CM)
16 He saw that there was no one,^(CN)
    he was appalled that there was no one to intervene;^(CO)
so his own arm achieved salvation^(CP) for him,
    and his own righteousness^(CQ) sustained him.
¹⁷ He put on righteousness as his breastplate,^(CR)
    and the helmet^(CS) of salvation on his head;
he put on the garments^(CT) of vengeance^(CU)
    and wrapped himself in zeal^(CV) as in a cloak.
¹⁸ According to what they have done,
    so will he repay^(CW)
wrath to his enemies
    and retribution to his foes;
    he will repay the islands^(CX) their due.
¹⁹ From the west,^(CY) people will fear the name of the Lord,
    and from the rising of the sun,^(CZ) they will revere his glory.^(DA)
For he will come like a pent-up flood
    that the breath^(DB) of the Lord drives along.^[b]

²⁰ “The Redeemer^(DC) will come to Zion,^(DD)
    to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,”^(DE)
declares the Lord.