King James Version

Isaiah 58:5

Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?

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Hebrew

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הֲכָזֶ֗הhakhazehas the one...the otherזֶהparticle, interrogative, preposition, pronoun, demonstrative, masculine, singular — “as the one...the other”H2088the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or thathe, [idiom] hence, [idiom] here, it(-self), [idiom] now, [idiom] of him, the one...the other, [idiom] than the other, ([idiom] out of) the (self) same, such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on that side, [idiom] thus,…יִֽהְיֶה֙yihyehbeהָיָהverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “be”, an unfinished actionH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.צ֣וֹםtsomfastצוֹםnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “fast”, the ordinary formH6685a fastfast(-ing).אֶבְחָרֵ֔הוּevcharehvacceptableבָּחַרverb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “acceptable”, an unfinished actionH977properly, to try, i.e. (by implication) selectacceptable, appoint, choose (choice), excellent, join, be rather, require.י֛וֹםyomas long asיוֹםnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “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…עַנּ֥וֹתanotabase selfעָנָהverb, piel, infinitive construct — “abase self”, the to-form of the verbH6031to 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…אָדָ֖םadampersonאָדָםnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “person”, the ordinary formH120ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)[idiom] another, [phrase] hypocrite, [phrase] common sort, [idiom] low, man (mean, of low degree), person.נַפְשׁ֑וֹnafshvocreatureנֶפֶשׁnoun, common, both genders, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “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,…הֲלָכֹ֨ףhalakhofto bow downכָּפַףparticle, interrogative, preposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to bow down”, the to-form of the verbH3721to curvebow down (self).כְּאַגְמֹ֜ןkeagmonas bulrushאַגְמוֹןpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “as bulrush”, the ordinary formH100a bulrush (as growing there); collectively a rope of bulrushesbulrush, caldron, hook, rush.רֹאשׁ֗וֹroshvoheadרֹאשׁnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “head”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7218the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, itc.)band, beginning, captain, chapiter, chief(-est place, man, things), company, end, [idiom] every (man), excellent, first, forefront, (be-)head, height, (on) high(-est part, (priest)), [idiom] lead, [idiom] poor, principal, ruler, sum, top.וְשַׂ֤קvesaqand sackשַׂקconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “and sack”, the ordinary formH8242properly, a mesh (as allowing a liquid to run through), i.e. coarse loose cloth or sacking (used in mourning and for bagging); hence, a bag (for grain, etc.)sack(-cloth, -clothes).וָאֵ֨פֶר֙vaeferand ashesאֵפֶרconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “and ashes”, the ordinary formH665ashesashes.יַצִּ֔יעַyatsiamake bedיַצַעverb, hiphil, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “make bed”, an unfinished actionH3331to strew as a surfacemake (one's) bed, [idiom] lie, spread.הֲלָזֶה֙halazehto the one...the otherזֶהparticle, interrogative, preposition, pronoun, demonstrative, masculine, singular — “to the one...the other”H2088the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or thathe, [idiom] hence, [idiom] here, it(-self), [idiom] now, [idiom] of him, the one...the other, [idiom] than the other, ([idiom] out of) the (self) same, such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on that side, [idiom] thus,…תִּקְרָאtiqracallקָרָאverb, qal, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “call”, an unfinished actionH7121to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)bewray (self), that are bidden, call (for, forth, self, upon), cry (unto), (be) famous, guest, invite, mention, (give) name, preach, (make) proclaim(-ation), pronounce, publish, read, renowned, say.צ֔וֹםtsomfastצוֹםnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “fast”, the ordinary formH6685a fastfast(-ing).וְי֥וֹםveyomand as long asיוֹםconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “and 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…רָצ֖וֹןratsonas... wouldרָצוֹןnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “as... would”, the ordinary formH7522delight (especially as shown)(be) acceptable(-ance, -ed), delight, desire, favour, (good) pleasure, (own, self, voluntary) will, as...(what) would.לַיהוָֽהlayhvahto Jehovahיְהֹוָהpreposition, noun, proper name — “to Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Is such the fast that I have chosen? the day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Is such the fast that I have chosen? the day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head as a rush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to Jehovah?

Young’s Literal Translation

Like this is the fast that I choose? The day of a man's afflicting his soul? To bow as a reed his head, And sackcloth and ashes spread out? This dost thou call a fast, And a desirable day — to Jehovah?

World English Bible

Is this the fast that I have chosen? A day for a man to humble his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under himself? Will you call this a fast, and an acceptable day to Yahweh?

Darby Translation

Is such the fast that I have chosen, a day for a man to afflict his soul, — that he should bow down his head as a bulrush, and spread sackcloth and ashes [under him]? Wilt thou call this a fast, and a day acceptable to Jehovah?

Douay-Rheims

Is this such a fast as I have chosen: for a man to afflict his soul for a day? is this it, to wind his head about like a circle, and to spread sackcloth and ashes? wilt thou call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the Lord?

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

I have not chosen this fast, nor such a day for a man to afflict his soul; neither though thou shouldest bend down thy neck as a ring, and spread under thee sackcloth and ashes, neither thus shall ye call a fast acceptable.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Οὐ ταύτην τὴν νηστείαν ἐξελεξάμην, καὶ ἡμέραν ταπεινοῦν ἄνθρωπον τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ· οὐδʼ ἂν κάμψῃς ὡς κρίκον τὸν τράχηλόν σου, καὶ σάκκον καὶ σποδὸν ὑποστρώσῃ, οὐδʼ οὕτω καλέσετε νηστείαν δεκτήν.