King James Version

Isaiah 58:3

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.

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Hebrew

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לָ֤מָּהlamahto howמָהpreposition, particle, interrogative — “to how”H4100properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senseshow (long, oft, (-soever)), (no-) thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing), whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.צַּ֨מְנוּ֙tsamnvfastצוּםverb, qal, perfect, 1st person, common, plural — “fast”, a completed actionH6684to cover over (the mouth), i.e. to fast[idiom] at all, fast.וְלֹ֣אveloand no , -r,לֹאconjunction, particle, negative — “and no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…רָאִ֔יתָraitaseeרָאָהverb, qal, perfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “see”, a completed actionH7200to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)advise self, appear, approve, behold, [idiom] certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), m…עִנִּ֥ינוּininvabase selfעָנָהverb, piel, perfect, 1st person, common, plural — “abase self”, a completed actionH6031to depress literally or figuratively, transitive or intransitive (in various applications, as follows)abase self, afflict(-ion, self), answer (by mistake for H6030 (עָנָה)), chasten self, deal hardly with, defile, exercise, force, gentleness, humble (self), hurt, ravish, sing (by mistake for H6030 (עָנָה)), speak (by mistake for H6030 (עָנ…נַפְשֵׁ֖נוּnafshenvcreatureנֶפֶשׁnoun, common, both genders, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, plural — “creature”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5315properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, [idiom] dead(-ly), desire, [idiom] (dis-) contented, [idiom] fish, ghost, [phrase] greedy, he, heart(-y), (hath, [idiom] jeopardy of) life ([idiom] in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortally,…וְלֹ֣אveloand no , -r,לֹאconjunction, particle, negative — “and no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…תֵדָ֑עtedaknowיָדַעverb, qal, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “know”, an unfinished actionH3045to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with…הֵ֣ןhenifהֵןparticle, demonstrative — “if”H2005lo!; also (as expressing surprise) ifbehold, if, lo, though.בְּי֤וֹםbeyomin as long asיוֹםpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “in as long as”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3117a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) lon…צֹֽמְכֶם֙tsomekhemfastצוֹםnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “fast”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6685a fastfast(-ing).תִּמְצְאוּtimtsevcomeמָצָאverb, qal, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “come”, an unfinished actionH4672properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present[phrase] be able, befall, being, catch, [idiom] certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion, out), get (hold upon), [idiom] have (here), be here, hit, be left, light (up-) on, meet (with)…חֵ֔פֶץchefetsdesireחֵפֶץnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “desire”, the ordinary formH2656pleasure; hence (abstractly) desire; concretely, a valuable thing; hence (by extension) a matter (as something in mind)acceptable, delight(-some), desire, things desired, matter, pleasant(-ure), purpose, willingly.וְכָלvekhaland allכֹּלconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “and all”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3605properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).עַצְּבֵיכֶ֖םatsveykhemlabourעָצֵבnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “labour”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6092a (hired) workmanlabour.תִּנְגֹּֽשׂוּtingosvdistressנָגַשׂverb, qal, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “distress”, an unfinished actionH5065to drive (an animal, a workman, a debtor, an army); by implication, to tax, harass, tyrannizedistress, driver, exact(-or), oppress(-or), [idiom] raiser of taxes, taskmaster.

Jewish translation (JPS 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.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

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.

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.

World English Bible

‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you don’t see? Why have we afflicted our soul, and you don’t notice?’ “Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and oppress all your laborers.

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.

Douay-Rheims

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.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

saying, Why have we fasted, and thou regardest not? why have we afflicted our souls, and thou didst not know it? Nay, in the days of your fasts ye find your pleasures, and all them that are under your power ye wound.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

λέγοντες, τί ὅτι ἐνηστεύσαμεν, καὶ οὐκ εἶδες; ἐταπεινώσαμεν τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν, καὶ οὐκ ἔγνως; Ἐν γὰρ ταῖς ἡμέραις τῶν νηστειῶν ὑμῶν εὑρίσκετε τὰ θελήματα ὑμῶν, καὶ πάντας τοὺς ὑποχειρίους ὑμῶν ὑπονύσσετε.