[Sidenote: Isa. 56:3-5] Let not the foreigner who hath joined himself to Jehovah say, 'Jehovah will surely separate me from his people.' And let not the eunuch say, 'Behold I am a dry tree.' For thus saith Jehovah to the eunuchs, 'Those who keep my sabbaths, And choose that in which I delight, and hold fast to my covenant, I will give them in my house and walls a monument, And a name better than sons and daughters, An everlasting name will I give them which cannot be cut off. [Sidenote: Isa. 56:6-8] And the foreigners who join themselves to Jehovah to minister to him, And to love the name of Jehovah, to be his servants, Every one who keeps the sabbath so as not to pollute it and faithfully abides by my covenant-- Them will I bring to my holy mountain and make joyful in my house of prayer; Their burnt-offerings and sacrifices will be accepted upon my altar; For my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples. It is the oracle of Jehovah, who gathereth the outcasts of Israel, 'I will gather still others to him in addition to those already gathered.' [Sidenote: Isa. 56:9-12] O all ye wild beasts of the field come to devour, all ye wild beasts of the forest! My watchmen are all blind, they know not how to give heed, They are all dumb dogs which cannot bark, Dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber. And the dogs are greedy, they know not how to be satisfied, They all turn to their own way, each for his own profit [saying], Come, I will get wine, and we will drink our fill of strong drink, And to-morrow shall be as to-day, an exceedingly great day! [Sidenote: Isa. 58:2-4] Cry with full throat, be not silent! Like a trumpet lift up thy voice, Make known to my people their transgression, And to the house of Jacob their sin. Me indeed they consult daily, And to know my ways is their delight. As a nation that hath done righteousness, And hath not forsaken the law of its God! They ask me regarding righteous judgments, To draw near to God is their delight! 'Why have we fasted and thou seest not, Mortified ourselves and thou dost not notice?' Behold, on your fast day ye follow your own pleasure, And ye exact all money lent on pledge. Behold ye fast for strife and contention, And to smite the poor with the fist. Your fasting to-day is not such As to make your voice heard on high. [Sidenote: Cor. Isa. 58:5-7] Can such be the fast which I choose, A day when a man mortifies himself? To droop one's head like a bulrush, And to lie down in sackcloth and ashes? Wilt thou call this a fast, And a day acceptable to Jehovah? Is not this the fast that I choose: To loose the fetters of injustice, To untie the bands of violence, To set free those who are crushed, To tear apart every yoke?