Isaiæ 58

1 Clama, ne cesses, quasi tuba exalta vocem tuam, et annuncia populo meo scelera eorum, et domui Iacob peccata eorum.

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 Me etenim de die in diem quærunt, et scire vias meas volunt: quasi gens, quæ iustitiam fecerit, et iudicium Dei sui non dereliquerit: rogant me iudicia iustitiæ: appropinquare Deo volunt.

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 Quare ieiunavimus, et non aspexisti: humiliavimus animas nostras, et nescisti? Ecce in die ieiunii vestri invenitur voluntas vestra, et omnes debitores vestros repetitis.

“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 Ecce ad lites et contentiones ieiunatis, et percutitis pugno impie. Nolite ieiunare sicut usque ad hanc diem, ut audiatur in excelso clamor vester.

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 Numquid tale est ieiunium, quod elegi, per diem affligere hominem animam suam? numquid contorquere quasi circulum caput suum, et saccum et cinerem sternere? numquid istud vocabis ieiunium, et diem acceptabilem Domino?

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 Nonne hoc est magis ieiunium, quod elegi? dissolve colligationes impietatis, solve fasciculos deprimentes, dimitte eos, qui confracti sunt, liberos, et omne onus dirumpe.

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 Frange esurienti panem tuum, et egenos, vagosque induc in domum tuam: cum videris nudum, operi eum, et carnem tuam ne despexeris.

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 Tunc erumpet quasi mane lumen tuum, et sanitas tua citius orietur, et anteibit faciem tuam iustitia tua, et gloria Domini colliget te.

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 Tunc invocabis, et Dominus exaudiet: clamabis, et dicet: Ecce adsum. si abstuleris de medio tui catenam, et desieris extendere digitum, et loqui quod non prodest.

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 Cum effuderis esurienti animam tuam, et animam afflictam repleveris, orietur in tenebris lux tua, et tenebræ tuæ erunt sicut meridies.

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 Et requiem tibi dabit Dominus semper, et implebit splendoribus animam tuam, et ossa tua liberabit, et eris quasi hortus irriguus, et sicut fons aquarum, cuius non deficient aquæ.

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 Et ædificabuntur in te deserta sæculorum: fundamenta generationis et generationis suscitabis: et vocaberis ædificator sepium, avertens semitas in quietem.

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 Si averteris a sabbato pedem tuum, facere voluntatem tuam in die sancto meo, et vocaveris sabbatum delicatum, et sanctum Domini gloriosum, et glorificaveris eum dum non facis vias tuas, et non invenitur voluntas tua, ut loquaris sermonem:

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 Tunc delectaberis super Domino, et sustollam te super altitudines terræ, et cibabo te hereditate Iacob patris tui. os enim Domini locutum est.

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.