Isaiæ 58
1 Clama, ne cesses, quasi tuba exalta vocem tuam, et annuncia populo meo scelera eorum, et domui Iacob peccata eorum.
[Yahweh said to me], “Shout loudly! Shout like [SIM] a loud trumpet! Shout to warn my Israeli people about their sins [DOU]!
2 Me etenim de die in diem quaerunt, et scire vias meas volunt: quasi gens, quae iustitiam fecerit, et iudicium Dei sui non dereliquerit: rogant me iudicia iustitiae: appropinquare Deo volunt.
They worship me every day; [they come to my temple because they say that] they are eager to know what I want them to do. They act as though they are a nation that does things that are righteous, who would never abandon their God. They request me to decide matters justly, and they delight to come to worship me.
3 Quare ieiunavimus, et non aspexisti: humiliavimus animas nostras, et nescisti? Ecce in die ieiunii vestri invenitur voluntas vestra, et omnes debitores vestros repetitis.
[They say], ‘We have (fasted/abstained from eating food) to please you, but you did not [RHQ] notice our doing that. We humbled ourselves, but you did not [RHQ] pay any attention!’ I will tell you why I did not pay attention. It is because when you fast, you do it only to please yourselves, and you act cruelly toward all your workers.
4 Ecce ad lites et contentiones ieiunatis, et percutitis pugno impie. Nolite ieiunare sicut usque ad hanc diem, ut audiatur in excelso clamor vester.
You fast, but you also quarrel and fight [with each other] with your fists. [Doing things like that while] you fast will [certainly] not cause [me] to hear your prayers [where I am], high in heaven.
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?
You [act as though] [IRO] you humble yourselves [RHQ] by bowing your heads like [SIM] [the tops of] reeds bend [when the wind blows], and you wear [RHQ] rough clothes and cover your heads with ashes [like people do when they are grieving]. That is what you do when you are fasting, but do you really think [RHQ] that will please me?
6 Nonne hoc est magis ieiunium, quod elegi? dissolve colligationes impietatis, solve fasciculos deprimentes, dimitte eos, qui confracti sunt, liberos, et omne onus dirumpe.
No, that is not the kind of fasting that I desire. What I really want [RHQ] is for you to free those who have been unjustly put in prison [DOU], and to encourage those who are (treated cruelly/oppressed); I want you to free those who have been oppressed in any way.
7 Frange esurienti panem tuum, et egenos, vagosque induc in domum tuam: cum videris nudum, operi eum, et carnem tuam ne despexeris.
I want you to [RHQ] share your food with those who are hungry and to allow those who have no houses to stay in your houses. Give clothes to those who do not have clothes, and do not hide from your relatives who need help from you.
8 Tunc erumpet quasi mane lumen tuum, et sanitas tua citius orietur, et anteibit faciem tuam iustitia tua, et gloria Domini colliget te.
If you do those things, [what you do for others will be like] [SIM] a light that shines when it dawns. The troubles [that have been caused by your sins] will end quickly. Others will know about your righteous behavior, and with my glorious presence I will protect you from behind [like I protected the Israeli people when they left Egypt].
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 you will call out to me, and I will [quickly] answer [and say that I will help you].’ Stop (oppressing people/treating people cruelly); stop falsely accusing people; and stop saying evil [things about people].
10 Cum effuderis esurienti animam tuam, et animam afflictam repleveris, orietur in tenebris lux tua, et tenebrae tuae erunt sicut meridies.
Give food to those who are hungry, and give to people who are afflicted/suffering the things that they need. [Your doing that will be like] [MET] a light that shines in the darkness; instead of doing evil to people [MET], [the good things that you do for them will be like] [SIM] sunshine at noontime.
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 aquae.
[I], Yahweh, will guide you continually, and I will give you good things to satisfy you. I will enable you to remain strong and healthy. You will be like [SIM] a garden that is well watered, like [SIM] a spring that never dries up.
12 Et aedificabuntur in te deserta saeculorum: fundamenta generationis et generationis suscitabis: et vocaberis aedificator sepium, avertens semitas in quietem.
[Your people] will rebuild the cities that were destroyed long ago; they will build [houses] on top of the old foundations. People will say that you are the ones who are repairing the holes [in the city walls], and who are repairing the streets where people live.
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:
Do not travel [MTY] long distances on Sabbath/rest days, and on Sabbath days do not do only the things that you delight to do. Enjoy the Sabbath days, and consider them to be delightful. The Sabbath days are my holy days. Honor me, Yahweh, in everything that you do [on the Sabbath days]. Do not talk about and do things [only] to please yourselves. If you do all the things that I have just now told you to do,
14 Tunc delectaberis super Domino, et sustollam te super altitudines terrae, et cibabo te hereditate Iacob patris tui. os enim Domini locutum est.
I will enable you to be joyful. I will greatly honor you; [I will honor you everywhere!] I will give to you the [blessings] that I gave to your ancestor Jacob. [Those things will surely happen because I], Yahweh, have said it.”
