ISAIAH 58-59

¹ To the house of Jacob their sins.

² Delighting to draw close to God:

³ And you oppress your laborers.

⁴ You cannot fast as you do today and have your voice heard in heaven.

⁵ Is this what you call a fast and a day pleasing to Jehovah?

⁶ And to break in half every yoke bar;

⁷ And not to turn your back on your own flesh.

⁸ And the glory of Jehovah will be your rear guard.

⁹ And stop pointing your finger and speaking maliciously,

¹⁰ And your gloom will be like midday.

¹¹ Like a spring whose waters never fail.

¹² The restorer of roadways by which to dwell.

¹³ And you glorify it rather than pursuing your own interests and speaking idle words,

¹⁴ For the mouth of Jehovah has spoken.”

¹ Nor is his ear too dull to hear.

² And he refuses to hear you.

³ Your lips speak lies, and your tongue mutters unrighteousness.

⁴ They conceive trouble and give birth to what is harmful.

⁵ And the egg that is crushed hatches a viper.

⁶ And deeds of violence are in their hands.

⁷ Ruin and misery are in their ways.

⁸ No one treading on them will know peace.

⁹ For brightness, but we keep walking in gloom.

¹⁰ Among the strong we are just like the dead.

¹¹ For salvation, but it is far away from us.

¹² We well know our errors.

¹³ We have conceived lies and muttered false words from the heart.

¹⁴ And what is upright is unable to enter.

¹⁵ For there was no justice.

¹⁶ And his own righteousness supported him.

¹⁷ And wrapped himself with zeal like a coat.

¹⁸ And to the islands he will repay their due.

¹⁹ Which the spirit of Jehovah drives along.

²⁰ To those in Jacob who turn from transgression,” declares Jehovah.

²¹ “As for me, this is my covenant with them,” says Jehovah. “My spirit that is on you and my words that I have placed in your mouth—they will not be removed from your mouth, from the mouth of your children, or from the mouth of your grandchildren,” says Jehovah, “from now on and forever.”