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Is not this the fast that I choose:
    to loose the bonds of injustice,
    to undo the straps of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
    and to break every yoke?(A)
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
    and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover them
    and not to hide yourself from your own kin?(B)
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
    and your healing shall spring up quickly;
your vindicator[a] shall go before you;
    the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.(C)
Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
    you shall cry for help, and he will say, “Here I am.”

If you remove the yoke from among you,
    the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil,(D)
10 if you offer your food to the hungry
    and satisfy the needs of the afflicted,
then your light shall rise in the darkness
    and your gloom be like the noonday.(E)
11 The Lord will guide you continually
    and satisfy your needs in parched places
    and make your bones strong,
and you shall be like a watered garden,
    like a spring of water
    whose waters never fail.(F)
12 Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;
    you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
you shall be called the repairer of the breach,
    the restorer of streets to live in.(G)

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Footnotes

  1. 58.8 Or vindication

Is this not the fast I choose: to release the bonds of injustice,
    to untie the ropes of the yoke,
and to let the oppressed go free,
    and tear[a] every yoke to pieces?
Is it not to break your bread for the hungry?
    You must bring home[b] the poor, the homeless.
When you see the naked, you must cover him,
    and you must not hide yourself from your relatives.[c]
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
    and your healing shall grow quickly.
And your salvation shall go before you;
    the glory of Yahweh will be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and Yahweh himself will answer.
    You shall cry for help, and he will say, ‘Here I am!’
If you remove from among you the yoke,
    the finger-pointing[d] and evil speech,[e]
10 if[f] you offer your soul to the hungry,
    and you satisfy the appetite of the afflicted,
then[g] your light shall rise in the darkness,
    and your darkness will be like noon.
11 And Yahweh will lead you continually, and satisfy your soul in a barren land,
    and he will strengthen your bones,
and you shall be like a well-watered garden,
    and like a spring of water whose water does not fail.
12 And they shall rebuild ancient ruins from you;
    you shall erect the foundations of many generations,[h]
and you shall be called[i] the bricklayer of the breach,
    the restorer of paths to live in.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 58:6 Literally “you must tear”
  2. Isaiah 58:7 Literally “a house”
  3. Isaiah 58:7 Literally “flesh”
  4. Isaiah 58:9 Literally “stretching out of the finger”
  5. Isaiah 58:9 Literally “the speaking of evil”
  6. Isaiah 58:10 Or “and”
  7. Isaiah 58:10 Or “and”
  8. Isaiah 58:12 Literally “generation and generation”
  9. Isaiah 58:12 Literally “shall be called to you”