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“Is this the kind of fast that I have chosen,
    merely a day for a person to humble himself?
Is it merely for bowing down one’s head like a bulrush,
    for lying[a] on sackcloth and ashes?
Is this what you[b] call a fast,
    an[c] acceptable day to the Lord?
Isn’t this the[d] fast that[e] I have been choosing:
    to loose the bonds of injustice,
and[f] to untie the cords of the yoke,
    and[g] to let the oppressed go free,
        and to break every yoke?
Isn’t it to share your bread with the hungry,
    and to bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked,
    to cover him with clothing,[h]
        and not to raise yourself up[i] from your own flesh and blood?”

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 58:5 So 1QIsaa 1QIsab; MT LXX read and for lying
  2. Isaiah 58:5 So 1QIsaa 4QIsad LXX (pl.); 1QIsab MT (sing.)
  3. Isaiah 58:5 So 1QIsaa 1QIsab; MT reads and an
  4. Isaiah 58:6 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsab MT LXX lack the
  5. Isaiah 58:6 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsab MT LXX lack that
  6. Isaiah 58:6 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsab MT LXX lack and
  7. Isaiah 58:6 So 1QIsaa MT; 1QIsab 4QIsad LXX lack and
  8. Isaiah 58:7 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsab MT LXX lack with clothing
  9. Isaiah 58:7 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsab MT read to hide yourself; LXX reads to disregard

Is this the kind of fast(A) I have chosen,
    only a day for people to humble(B) themselves?
Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed(C)
    and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?(D)
Is that what you call a fast,
    a day acceptable to the Lord?

“Is not this the kind of fasting(E) I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice(F)
    and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed(G) free
    and break every yoke?(H)
Is it not to share your food with the hungry(I)
    and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter(J)
when you see the naked, to clothe(K) them,
    and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?(L)

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