<p class="poetry">Foreigners will rebuild your walls;p> <p class="poetry">their kings will serve you.p> <p class="poetry">Even though I struck you down in my anger,p> <p class="poetry">I will restore my favor and have compassion on you.<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">to announce the year when the <sc>Lordsc> will show his favor,p> <p class="poetry">the day when our God will seek vengeance,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">to console all who mourn,p>

<p class="poetry">This is what the <sc>Lordsc> says:p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;At the time I decide to show my favor, I will respond to you;p> <p class="poetry">in the day of deliverance I will help you;p> <p class="poetry">I will protect you<n id="1" /> and make you a covenant mediator for people,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">to rebuild<n id="3" /> the land<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">and to reassign the desolate property.p>

<p class="poetry">All the sheep of Kedar will be gathered to you;p> <p class="poetry">the rams of Nebaioth will be available to you as sacrifices.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">They will go up on my altar acceptably,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and I will bestow honor on my majestic temple.p>

<p class="poetry">I will bring them to my holy mountain;p> <p class="poetry">I will make them happy in the temple where people pray to me.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar,p> <p class="poetry">for my temple will be known as a temple where all nations may pray.&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">Is this really the kind of fasting I want?<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Do I want a day when people merely humble themselves,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">bowing their heads like a reedp> <p class="poetry">and stretching out<n id="3" /> on sackcloth and ashes?p> <p class="poetry">Is this really what you call a fast,p> <p class="poetry">a day that is pleasing to the <sc>Lordsc>?p>