Esajas 58

1 Raab højt, spar ikke din Strube, løft din Røst som Basunen, forkynd mit Folk dets Brøde og Jakobs Hus deres Synder!

Cry with a full throat, spare not, like the cornet lift up thy voice, and declare unto my people their transgression, and to the house of Jacob their sins.

2 Mig søger de Dag efter Dag og ønsker at kende mine Veje, som var de et Folk, der øver Retfærd, ej svigter, hvad dets Gud fandt ret. De spørger mig om Lov og Ret, de ønsker, at Gud er dem nær:

Yet me do they ever seek day by day, and to know my ways do they always desire; as a nation that hath done righteousness, and hath not forsaken the ordinance of their God: continually do they ask of me the ordinances of justice—do they desire to draw nigh unto God.

3 »Hvi faster vi, uden du ser os, spæger os, uden du ænser det?« Se, I driver Handel, naar I faster, og pisker paa Arbejdsflokken.

“Wherefore have we fasted, and thou seest it not? have we afflicted our soul, and thou regardest it not?” Behold, on the day of your fasting ye follow your business, and all your acquired gains do ye exact.

4 Se, I faster til Strid og Kiv, til Hug med gudløse Næver; som I faster i Dag, er det ikke, for at eders Røst skal høres i det høje.

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

5 Er det Faste efter mit Sind, en Dag, da et Menneske spæger sig? At hænge med sit Hoved som Siv, at ligge i Sæk og Aske, kalder du det for Faste, en Dag, der behager HERREN?

Is such then the fast which I can choose? a day that a man afflicteth his soul? to bend his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes for his couch? wilt thou call this a fast, and a day of acceptability unto the Lord?

6 Nej, Faste efter mit Sind er at løse Gudløsheds Lænker, at løsne Aagets Baand, at slippe de kuede fri og sønderbryde hvert Aag,

Is not this [rather] the fast that I will choose? to open the snares of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye should break asunder every yoke?

7 at bryde dit Brød til de sultne, bringe hjemløse Stakler i Hus, at du klæder den nøgne, du ser, ej nægter at hjælpe dine Landsmænd.

Is it not to distribute thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the afflicted poor into thy house! when thou seest the naked, that thou clothe him; and that thou hide not thyself from thy own flesh?

8 Som Morgenrøden bryder dit Lys da frem, da læges hastigt dit Saar, foran dig vandrer din Retfærd, HERRENS Herlighed slutter Toget.

Then shall break forth as the morning-dawn thy light, and thy healing shall speedily spring forth; and before thee shall go thy righteousness, the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward.

9 Da svarer HERREN, naar du kalder; paa dit Raab er hans Svar: »Her er jeg!« Fjerner du Aaget fra din Midte, holder op at tale ondt og pege Fingre,

Then shalt thou call, and the Lord will answer; thou shalt cry, and he will say, Here am I. If thou remove from the midst of thee the yoke, the stretching out of the finger, and speaking wickedly;

10 rækker du den sultne dit Brød og mætter en vansmægtende Sjæl, skal dit Lys straale frem i Mørke, dit Mulm skal blive som Middag;

And if thou pour out to the hungry thy soul, and satisfy the afflicted soul: then shall shine forth in the darkness thy light, and thy obscurity be as the noonday;

11 HERREN skal altid lede dig, mætte din Sjæl, hvor der er goldt, og give dig nye Kræfter; du bliver som en vandrig Have, som rindende Væld, hvor Vandet aldrig svigter.

And the Lord will guide thee continually, and will satisfy thy soul in times of famine, and will strengthen thy bones; and thou shalt be like a well-watered garden, and like a spring of water, the waters of which will never deceive.

12 Da bygges paa ældgamle Tomter, du rejser længst faldne Mure; da kaldes du »Murbrudsbøder«, »Genskaber af farbare Veje«.

And they that spring from thee shall build up the ancient ruins; the foundations of many generations shalt thou raise up again: and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breaches, The restorer of paths to the dwelling-place.

13 Varer du din Fod paa Sabbatten, saa du ej driver Handel paa min Helligdag, kalder du Sabbatten en Fryd, HERRENS Helligdag ærværdig, ærer den ved ikke at arbejde, holder dig fra Handel og unyttig Snak,

If thou restrain thy foot for the sake of the sabbath, not doing thy business on my holy day; and if thou call the sabbath a delight, the holy day of the Lord, honorable; and honor it by not doing thy usual pursuits, by not following thy own business, and speaking [vain] words:

14 da skal du frydes over HERREN; jeg lader dig færdes over Landets Høje og nyde din Fader Jakobs Eje. Thi HERRENS Mund har talet.

Then shalt thou find delight in the Lord; and I will cause thee to tread upon the high places of the earth, and I will cause thee to enjoy the inheritance of Jacob thy father; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.