"Is thisnot the fastwhich I choose,To loosenthe bondsof wickedness,To undothe bandsof the yoke,And to letthe oppressedgofreeAnd breakeveryyoke?
Whereasmy fatherloadedyou with a heavyyoke,I will addto your yoke;my fatherdisciplinedyou with whips,but I [will discipline you] with scorpions.'"
"Nowtherefore, listento me and returnthe captiveswhomyou capturedfrom your brothers,for the burningangerof the LORDis againstyou."
Deliverthose who are being takenaway to death,And those who are staggeringto slaughter,Ohhold[them] back.
Learnto dogood;Seekjustice,Reprovethe ruthless,Defendthe orphan,Pleadfor the widow.
He who walksrighteouslyand speakswith sincerity,He who rejectsunjustgainAnd shakeshis handssothat they holdnobribe;He who stopshis earsfrom hearingabout bloodshedAnd shutshis eyesfrom lookingupon evil;
Let the wickedforsakehis wayAnd the unrighteousmanhis thoughts;And let him returnto the LORD,And He will havecompassionon him, And to our God,For He will abundantlypardon.
"Thenyou will call,and the LORDwill answer;You will cry,and He will say,'HereI am.' Ifyou removethe yokefrom your midst,The pointingof the fingerand speakingwickedness,
Thussaysthe LORD,"Dojusticeand righteousness,and deliverthe one who has been robbedfrom the powerof [his] oppressor.Also do not mistreat[or] doviolenceto the stranger,the orphan,or the widow;and do not shedinnocentbloodin thisplace.
Thussaysthe LORDof hosts,"The sonsof Israelare oppressed,And the sonsof Judahas well;And allwho tookthem captivehave heldthem fast,They have refusedto letthem go.
Therefore,O king,may my advicebe pleasingto you: breakawaynow from your sinsby [doing] righteousnessand from your iniquitiesby showingmercyto [the] poor,in casethere may be a prolongingof your prosperity.'
oranythingabout whichhe sworefalsely;he shall makerestitutionfor it in fulland addto it one-fifthmore.He shall giveit to the one to whomit belongs on the day[he presents] his guiltoffering.
"But both manand beastmust be coveredwith sackcloth;and let men callon Godearnestlythat eachmay turnfrom his wickedwayand from the violencewhichis in his hands.
"Thushas the LORDof hostssaid,Dispensetrue~justiceand practicekindnessand compassioneachto his brother;
"For I seethat you are in the gallof bitternessand in the bondageof iniquity."
All whoare underthe yokeas slavesare to regardtheir ownmastersas worthyof allhonorsothat the nameof Godand [our] doctrinewill not be spoken against.
