1“Shout aloud like a trumpet, do not hold back. Raise your voice and declare to My people - the house of Jacob, what their transgressions and sins are. 2Day after day they seek Me, and seem delighted to know My ways, like a nation that does what is right; and does not forsake the commands of their God. They ask Me for just laws; they seem eager to be near to God. 3They ask, ‘Why have we fasted and humbled ourselves, and You do not seem to notice?’ I will tell you why! It is because the day of your fasting is for your own pleasure – to feel good about yourselves; and all the while, you oppress and exploit your workers. 4Your fasting ends in strife and debate, and hitting one another with vicious blows. You cannot expect that kind of fasting to ever get you anywhere near Me. 5This is not the kind of fasting that I have approve of or honor; but it is just a day when you go through the motions of humbling yourselves before Me - a day when you bow your head like a bulrush reed bent by the wind, put on sackcloth and cover yourselves with ashes - and you call it fasting! Do you really think that I, the LORD, find this acceptable? 6This is not the kind of fasting that I have advocated - to loosen the chains of injustice; to lighten heavy burdens of the oppressed, to break their yokes, and let them go free.” 7It is a time to share your food with the hungry, and invite the outcasts and the poor into your house; when you see the naked, to clothe them; and not turn away the needy among your own flesh and blood. 8Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, your wounds will quickly heal; and your righteousness shall go before you; and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. 9And then, when you call, the LORD shall answer; when you call for help, He shall say, ‘Here I am.’ If you do away with yokes of oppression, the finger-pointing, and your malicious gossip. 10If you put yourself out to feed the hungry, and to aid those in trouble, then your light shall rise out of your darkness like the noonday. 11The LORD shall be your constant Guide, satisfy your needs, and restore your strength. You shall be like a well-watered garden, and like a never-failing spring of water. 12And some of your people will rebuild the old ruins; you shall restore the age-old foundations, and shall be called, ‘The Repairer of the broken walls’, and ‘The Restorer of streets and dwellings.’

13“If you refrain from violating the Sabbath and doing whatever you please on My holy day; if you call the Sabbath your delight, and honor the LORD and His holy day, by not going your own way, doing as you please, and speaking idle words; 14Then you shall find your delight in the LORD; and I will cause you to ride in triumph upon the heights of the land, and you shall feast upon the inheritance of your father, Jacob; for I, the LORD, have spoken it.”