Revised Literal Translation

Isaiah 58:2-8

2Yet they seekיִדְרֹשׁ֔וּןyid.ro.ShunH1875me dailyH3117,and delightיֶחְפָּצ֑וּןyech.pa.TzunH2654to knowוְדַ֥עַתve.Da.'atH1847my waysדְּרָכַ֖יde.ra.KhaiH1870,as a nationכְּג֞וֹיke.GoyH1471that didעָשָׂ֗ה'a.SahH6213righteousnessצְדָקָ֣הtze.da.KahH6666,and forsookעָזָ֔ב'a.ZavH5800not the ordinanceוּמִשְׁפַּ֤טu.mish.PatH4941of their Godאֱלֹהָיו֙'e.lo.HavH430:they askיִשְׁאָל֙וּנִי֙yish.'a.Lu.niH7592of me the ordinancesמִשְׁפְּטֵי־mish.pe.tei-H4941of justiceצֶ֔דֶקTze.dekH6664;they take delightיֶחְפָּצֽוּן׃yech.pa.TzunH2654in approachingקִרְבַ֥תkir.VatH7132to Godאֱלֹהִ֖ים'E.lo.HimH430.

3Wherefore have we fastedצַּ֙מְנוּ֙tzam.nuH6684, say they,and thou seestרָאִ֔יתָra.'I.taH7200not? whereforehave we afflictedעִנִּ֥ינוּ'i.Ni.nuH6031our soulנַפְשֵׁ֖נוּnaf.She.nuH5315,and thou takest no knowledgeתֵדָ֑עte.Da'H3045?Behold, in the dayבְּי֤וֹםbe.YomH3117of your fastצֹֽמְכֶם֙tzo.me.KhemH6685ye findתִּמְצְאוּ־tim.tze.'u-H4672pleasureחֵ֔פֶץChe.fetzH2656,and exactתִּנְגֹּֽשׂוּ׃tin.Go.suH5065all your laboursעַצְּבֵיכֶ֖ם'a.tze.vei.KhemH6092.

4Behold, ye fastתָּצ֔וּמוּta.Tzu.muH6684for strifeלְרִ֤יבle.RivH7379and debateוּמַצָּה֙u.ma.TzahH4683,and to smiteוּלְהַכּ֖וֹתu.le.ha.KotH5221with the fistבְּאֶגְרֹ֣ףbe.'eg.RofH106of wickednessרֶ֑שַׁעRe.sha'H7562:ye shall not fastתָצ֣וּמוּta.Tzu.muH6684as ye do thisdayכַיּ֔וֹםkhai.YomH3117,to make your voiceקוֹלְכֶֽם׃kol.KhemH6963to be heardלְהַשְׁמִ֥יעַle.hash.Mi.a'H8085on highבַּמָּר֖וֹםba.ma.RomH4791.

5Is it such a fastצ֣וֹםTzomH6685that I have chosenאֶבְחָרֵ֔הוּ'ev.cha.Re.huH977?a dayי֛וֹםYomH3117for a manאָדָ֖ם'a.DamH120to afflictעַנּ֥וֹתa.NotH6031his soulנַפְשׁ֑וֹnaf.ShoH5315? is itto bow downהֲלָכֹ֨ףha.la.KhofH3721his headרֹאשׁ֗וֹro.ShoH7218as a bulrushכְּאַגְמֹ֜ןke.'ag.MonH100,and to spreadיַצִּ֔יעַya.Tzi.a'H3331sackclothוְשַׂ֤קve.SakH8242and ashesוָאֵ֙פֶר֙va.'E.ferH665under him?wilt thou callתִּקְרָא־tik.ra'-H7121thisH2088a fastצ֔וֹםTzomH6685,and an acceptableרָצ֖וֹןra.TzonH7522dayוְי֥וֹםve.YomH3117to Yhwhלַיהוָֽה׃la.Yah.wehH3068?

6Isnot this the fastצ֣וֹםTzomH6685that I have chosenאֶבְחָרֵהוּ֒'ev.cha.re.HuH977?to looseפַּתֵּ֙חַ֙pa.Te.achH6605the bandsחַרְצֻבּ֣וֹתchar.tzu.BotH2784of wickednessרֶ֔שַׁעRe.sha'H7562,to undoהַתֵּ֖רha.TerH5425the heavyמוֹטָ֑הmo.TahH4133burdensאֲגֻדּ֣וֹת'a.gu.DotH92,and to let the oppressedרְצוּצִים֙re.tzu.TzimH7533goוְשַׁלַּ֤חve.sha.LachH7971freeחָפְשִׁ֔יםcha.fe.ShimH2670,and that ye breakתְּנַתֵּֽקוּ׃te.na.Te.kuH5423every yokeמוֹטָ֖הmo.TahH4133?

7Is itnot to dealפָרֹ֤סfa.RosH6536thy breadלַחְמֶ֔ךָlach.Me.khaH3899to the hungryלָֽרָעֵב֙la.ra.'EvH7457,and that thou bringתָּ֣בִיאTa.vi'H935the poorוַעֲנִיִּ֥יםva.'a.ni.YimH6041that are cast outמְרוּדִ֖יםme.ru.DimH4788to thy houseבָ֑יִתVa.yitH1004?when thou seestתִרְאֶ֤הtir.'EhH7200the nakedעָרֹם֙'a.RomH6174,that thou coverוְכִסִּית֔וֹve.khi.si.ToH3680him; and that thou hideתִתְעַלָּֽם׃tit.'a.LamH5956not thyself from thine own fleshוּמִבְּשָׂרְךָ֖u.mi.be.sa.re.KhaH1320?

8Then shall thy lightאוֹרֶ֔ךָ'o.Re.khaH216break forthיִבָּקַ֤עyi.ba.Ka'H1234as the morningכַּשַּׁ֙חַר֙ka.Sha.charH7837,and thine healthוַאֲרֻכָתְךָ֖va.'a.ru.kha.te.KhaH724shall spring forthתִצְמָ֑חtitz.MachH6779speedilyמְהֵרָ֣הme.he.RahH4120:and thy righteousnessצִדְקֶ֔ךָtzid.Ke.chaH6664shall goוְהָלַ֤ךְve.ha.LakhH1980beforeלְפָנֶ֙יךָ֙le.fa.Nei.khaH6440thee; the gloryכְּב֥וֹדke.VodH3519of Yhwhיְהוָ֖הYah.wehH3068shall be thy rerewardיַאַסְפֶֽךָ׃ya.'as.Fe.khaH622.

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Commentaries on Isaiah 58