Isaiah 58:3

New Living Translation

‘We have fasted before you!' they say. ‘Why aren't you impressed? We have been very hard on ourselves, and you don't even notice it!' "I will tell you why!" I respond. "It's because you are fasting to please yourselves. Even while you fast, you keep oppressing your workers.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
They say, "We fast to show honor to you. Why don't you see us? We starve our bodies to show honor to you. Why don't you notice us?" But God says, "You do things to please yourselves on those special days of fasting. And you punish your servants, not your own bodies.

Update Bible Version
Why have we fasted, [they say], and you don't see? [why] have we afflicted our soul, and you take no knowledge? Look, in the day of your fast you find [your own] pleasure, and exact all your labors.

New Century Version
They say, ‘To honor you we had special days when we fasted, but you didn't see. We humbled ourselves to honor you, but you didn't notice.'" But the Lord says, "You do what pleases yourselves on these special days, and you are unfair to your workers.

New English Translation
They lament, ‘Why don't you notice when we fast? Why don't you pay attention when we humble ourselves?' Look, at the same time you fast, you satisfy your selfish desires, you oppress your workers.

Webster's Bible Translation
Why have we fasted, [say they], and thou seest not? [why] have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labors.

World English Bible
Why have we fasted, [say they], and you don't see? [why] have we afflicted our soul, and you take no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast you find [your own] pleasure, and exact all your labors.

Amplified Bible
'Why have we fasted,' they say, 'and You do not see it? Why have we humbled ourselves and You do not notice?' Hear this [O Israel], on the day of your fast [when you should be grieving for your sins] you find something you desire [to do], And you force your hired servants to work [instead of stopping all work, as the law teaches].

English Standard Version
‘Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?' Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Whi fastiden we, and thou biheldist not; we mekiden oure soulis, and thou knewist not? Lo! youre wille is foundun in the dai of youre fastyng, and ye axen alle youre dettouris.

English Revised Version
Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find your own pleasure, and exact all your labours.

Berean Standard Bible
"Why have we fasted, and You have not seen? Why have we humbled ourselves, and You have not noticed?" "Behold, on the day of your fast, you do as you please, and you oppress all your workers.

Contemporary English Version
You wonder why the Lord pays no attention when you go without eating and act humble. But on those same days that you give up eating, you think only of yourselves and abuse your workers.

American Standard Version
Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find your own pleasure, and exact all your labors.

Bible in Basic English
They say, Why have we kept ourselves from food, and you do not see it? why have we kept ourselves from pleasure, and you take no note of it? If, in the days when you keep from food, you take the chance to do your business, and get in your debts;

Complete Jewish Bible
[asking,] ‘Why should we fast, if you don't see? Why mortify ourselves, if you don't notice?' "Here is my answer: when you fast, you go about doing whatever you like, while keeping your laborers hard at work.

Darby Translation
—Wherefore have we fasted, and thou seest not; have afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find what pleaseth [you], and exact all your labours.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
'Wherefore have we fasted, and Thou seest not? Wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and Thou takest no knowledge?'--Behold, in the day of your fast ye pursue your business, and exact all your labours.

King James Version (1611)
Wherefore haue wee fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore haue wee afflicted our soule, & thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and exact all your labours.

New Life Bible
They say, ‘Why have we gone without food, and You do not see it? Why have we put away our pride, and You do not know it?' See, on the day you do not eat, you do what you want to do, and make it hard for all your workers.

New Revised Standard
"Why do we fast, but you do not see? Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?" Look, you serve your own interest on your fast day, and oppress all your workers.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Wherefore haue we fasted, and thou seest it not? we haue punished our selues, and thou regardest it not. Beholde, in the day of your fast you will seeke your will, and require all your dettes.

George Lamsa Translation
Why have we fasted, and thou seest it not? Why have we afflicted ourselves, and thou takest no notice? Behold, in the day of your fast you do what you wish, and you present offerings to all of your idols.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Wherefore have we Fasted and thou hast not seen? Humbled our soul, and thou wouldst take no note? Lo! in the day of your fast, ye take pleasure, But all your toilers, ye drive on!

Douay-Rheims Bible
Why have we fasted, and thou hast not regarded: have we humbled our souls, and thou hast not taken notice? Behold in the day of your fast your own will is found, and you exact of all your debtors.

Revised Standard Version
'Why have we fasted, and thou seest it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and thou takest no knowledge of it?' Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Wherefore fast we [say they] and thou seest it not? we put our liues to straitnesse, and thou regardest it not?

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
saying, Why have we fasted, and thou regardest not? why have we afflicted our souls, and thou didst not know it?

Good News Translation
The people ask, "Why should we fast if the Lord never notices? Why should we go without food if he pays no attention?" The Lord says to them, "The truth is that at the same time you fast, you pursue your own interests and oppress your workers.

Christian Standard Bible®
“Why have we fasted, but you have not seen?We have denied ourselves, but you haven’t noticed!” “Look, you do as you please on the day of your fast,and oppress all your workers.

Hebrew Names Version
Why have we fasted, [say they], and you don't see? [why] have we afflicted our soul, and you take no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast you find [your own] pleasure, and exact all your labors.

King James Version
Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.

Lexham English Bible
‘Why do we fast, and you do not see it? We humiliate our soul, and you do not notice it?' Look! You find delight on the day of your fast, and you oppress all your workers!

Literal Translation
They say , Why have we fasted, and You did not see? We have afflicted our soul, and You did not acknowledge. Behold, on the day of your fast you find pleasure; and you drive all your laborers hard.

Young's Literal Translation
`Why have we fasted, and Thou hast not seen? We have afflicted our soul, and Thou knowest not.' Lo, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, And all your labours ye exact.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Wherfore fast we (saye they) and thou seist it not? we put oure liues to straitnesse, and thou regardest it not?

New American Standard Bible
'Why have we fasted and You do not see? Why have we humbled ourselves and You do not notice?' Behold, on the day of your fast you find your desire, And oppress all your workers.

New King James Version
"Why have we fasted,' they say, "and You have not seen? Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?' "In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, And exploit all your laborers.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
'Why have we fasted and You do not see? Why have we humbled ourselves and You do not notice?' Behold, on the day of your fast you find your desire, And drive hard all your workers.

Legacy Standard Bible
‘Why have we fasted and You do not see?Why have we afflicted our souls and You do not know?'Behold, on the day of your fast you find your desire,And oppress all your workers.

Contextual Overview

³ ‘We have fasted before you!' they say. ‘Why aren't you impressed? We have been very hard on ourselves, and you don't even notice it!' "I will tell you why!" I respond. "It's because you are fasting to please yourselves. Even while you fast, you keep oppressing your workers. ⁴ What good is fasting when you keep on fighting and quarreling? This kind of fasting will never get you anywhere with me. ⁵ You humble yourselves by going through the motions of penance, bowing your heads like reeds bending in the wind. You dress in burlap and cover yourselves with ashes. Is this what you call fasting? Do you really think this will please the Lord ? ⁶ "No, this is the kind of fasting I want: Free those who are wrongly imprisoned; lighten the burden of those who work for you. Let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains that bind people. ⁷ Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

have we fasted: Numbers 23:4, Micah 3:9-11, Zechariah 7:5-7, Malachi 3:14, Matthew 20:11, Matthew 20:12, Luke 15:29, Luke 18:9-12

afflicted: Leviticus 16:29, Leviticus 16:31, Leviticus 23:27, Psalms 69:10

in: Daniel 10:2, Daniel 10:3, Jonah 3:6-8

exact: Nehemiah 5:7, Proverbs 28:9, Jeremiah 34:9-17, Matthew 18:28-35

labours: or, things wherewith ye grieve others, Heb. griefs. Isaiah 47:6, Exodus 2:23, Exodus 2:24

Reciprocal: Exodus 21:20 - smite Exodus 23:12 - and the son Leviticus 23:32 - afflict Leviticus 25:43 - rule Numbers 29:7 - afflict Deuteronomy 15:2 - exact it 1 Samuel 4:3 - Wherefore Ezra 8:21 - afflict ourselves Job 39:7 - driver Psalms 35:13 - humbled Psalms 80:4 - how long Isaiah 29:13 - Forasmuch Isaiah 58:5 - a day for a man to afflict his soul Jeremiah 2:35 - Because Jeremiah 14:12 - they fast Malachi 2:14 - Wherefore Matthew 6:16 - be Matthew 25:24 - I knew Luke 5:33 - Why Luke 18:12 - fast Ephesians 6:9 - ye Colossians 4:1 - give 1 Timothy 4:8 - bodily James 1:7 - General

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not?.... Our fasting; takest no notice of it; expresses no approbation of it, and pleasure in it: this is put for all religious services, being what was frequently performed under the Old Testament, not only at certain times appointed by the Lord, but on other occasions, and of their own fixing; in which they put their confidence, and often boasted of,

Luke 18:12: "wherefore have we afflicted our soul", by fasting, "and thou takest no knowledge?" of that, nor of us, and dost not save us from our enemies, and deliver us from our troubles, and bestow favours on us: they had a high opinion of their own performances, and thought that God must have likewise; and were displeased that he showed no more regard unto them:

behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure; this, and what follows in the two next verses, are an answer to their questions, and give reasons why the Lord took no more notice of their fasting, or of their services; because they were not done aright, they found their own pleasure in them; not that they indulged to bodily recreations and carnal delights, but they gratified the inward desires of the flesh, malice, envy, and the like; and they pleased themselves with their own duties, and fancied they procured the favour of God by them:

and exact all your labours; of their servants, or their money of their debtors; they grieved and afflicted their debtors, by demanding their debts of them, as Jarchi interprets it; and that in a very rigorous manner, requiring whole and immediate payment; or, as it is usual with establishments, they require an exact conformity to their manner of service, worship, and discipline.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Wherefore have we fasted - They had fasted much, evidently with the expectation of delivering themselves from impending calamities, and securing the divine favor. They are here introduced as saying that they had been disappointed. God had not interposed as they had expected. Chagrined and mortified, they now complain that he had not noticed their very conscientious and faithful regard for the duties of religion.

And thou seest not? - All had been in vain. Calamities still impended; judgments threatened; and there were no tokens of the divine approbation. Hypocrites depend on their fastings and prayers as laying God under obligation to save them. If he does not interpose, they complain and murmur. When fasting is the result of a humble and broken heart, it is acceptable; when it is instituted as a means of purchasing the divine favor, and as laying God under obligation, it can be followed by no happy result to the soul.

Have we afflicted our soul - By fasting. Twenty-one manuscripts (six ancient), says Lowth, have this in the plural number - ‘our souls’ and so the Septuagint, Chaldee, and the Vulgate. The sense is not materially affected, however. It is evident here that they regarded their numerous fastings as laying the foundation of a claim on the favor of God, and that they were disposed to complain when that claim was not acknowledged. Fasting, like other religious duties, is proper; but in that, as in all other services of religion, there is danger of supposing that we bring God under obligations, and that we are laying the foundation of a claim to his favor.

Thou takest no knowledge - Thou dost not regard our numerous acts of self-denial.

Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure - The prophet here proceeds to state the reasons why their fastings were not succeeded as they supposed they would be, by the divine favor. The first reason which he states is, that even when they were fasting, they were giving full indulgence to their depraved appetites and lusts. The Syriac has well rendered this, ‘In the day of your fasting you indulge your lusts, and draw near to all your idols.’ This also was evidently the case with the Jews in the time of the Saviour. They were Characterized repeatedly by him as ‘an evil and adulterous generation,’ and yet no generation perhaps was ever more punctual and strict in the external duties of fasting and other religious ceremonies.

And exact all your labors - This is the second reason why their fasting was attended with no more happy results. The margin renders this ‘griefs,’ or things wherewith ye grieve others.’ Lowth renders it, ‘All your demands of labor ye rigorously exact.’ Castellio renders it, ‘And all things which are due to you, you exact.’ The word rendered here ‘labors’ denotes usually hard and painful labor; toil, travail, etc. The Septuagint renders it here, ‘And goad (ὑπονύσσετε huponussete) all those who are under your control’ (τοὺς ὑποχειρίους ὑμῶν tous hupocheirious humōn). The idea seems to be that they were at that time oppressive in exacting all that was due to them; they remitted nothing, they forgave nothing. Alas, how often is this still true! People may be most diligent in the external duties of religion; most abundant in fasting and in prayer, and at the same time most unyielding in demanding all that is due to them. Like Shylock - another Jew like those in the time of Isaiah - they may demand ‘the pound of flesh,’ at the same time that they may be most formal, punctual, precise, and bigoted in the performance of the external duties of religion. The sentiment taught here is, that if we desire to keep a fast that shall be acceptable to God, it must be such as shall cause us to unbind heavy burdens from the poor, and to lead us to relax the rigor of the claims which would be oppressive on those who are subject to us (see Isaiah 58:6).

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Isaiah 58:3. Have we adopted our soul - "Have we afflicted our souls"] Twenty-seven MSS. (six ancient) of Dr. Kennicott's, thirty-six of De Rossi's, and two of my own, and the old edition of 1488 have the noun in the plural number, נפשינו naphsheynu, our souls; and so the Septuagint, Chaldee, and Vulgate. This reading is undoubtedly genuine.

In the day of your fast ye find pleasure — Fast days are generally called holidays, and holidays are days of idleness and pleasure. In numberless cases the fast is turned into a feast.

And exact all your labours. — Some disregard the most sacred fast, and will oblige their servant to work all day long; others use fast days for the purpose of settling their accounts, posting up their books, and drawing out their bills to be ready to collect their debts. These are sneaking hypocrites; the others are daringly irreligious.