“ You have said,‘ What’s the use of serving God? What have we gained by obeying his commands or by trying to show the Lord of Heaven’s Armies that we are sorry for our sins?

你们说：‘侍奉神是徒然的，遵守神所吩咐的，在万军之耶和华面前苦苦斋戒，有什么益处呢？

你们说：“事奉上帝是枉然，我们遵守上帝所吩咐的，在万军之耶和华面前哀痛而行，有什么益处呢？

你们说：“事奉神是枉然，我们遵守神所吩咐的，在万军之耶和华面前哀痛而行，有什么益处呢？

你们说，‘事奉上帝是虚空的。遵从上帝的吩咐，在万军之耶和华面前痛悔有什么益处？

你们说：‘事奉神是白费的；遵守他的吩咐，在万军之耶和华面前哀痛而行，有什么益处呢？

你们说：‘服事神是枉然的！遵守神所吩咐的，在万军之耶和华面前哀痛而行，有什么好处呢？

你們說：『事奉神是徒然的，遵守神所吩咐的，在萬軍之耶和華面前苦苦齋戒，有甚麼益處呢？

你們說：「事奉上帝是枉然，我們遵守上帝所吩咐的，在萬軍之耶和華面前哀痛而行，有甚麼益處呢？

你們說：「事奉神是枉然，我們遵守神所吩咐的，在萬軍之耶和華面前哀痛而行，有甚麼益處呢？

你們說，『事奉上帝是虛空的。遵從上帝的吩咐，在萬軍之耶和華面前痛悔有什麼益處？

你們說：‘事奉神是白費的；遵守他的吩咐，在萬軍之耶和華面前哀痛而行，有甚麼益處呢？

你們說：「事奉上帝是徒然的；遵守上帝所吩咐守的，在萬軍之永恆主面前愁眉苦眼而行、有甚麼益處？

你們說：『服事神是枉然的！遵守神所吩咐的，在萬軍之耶和華面前哀痛而行，有什麼好處呢？

爾曰、奉事上帝、乃徒然耳、我遵其命、於萬軍之耶和華前殷憂而行、何益之有、

爾常言曰、服事上帝、終屬徒勞、我心甚憂、順從萬有之主耶和華、守其法度、何益之有、

答曰、爾嘗言曰、服事天主、實屬徒勞、守其律法、守其律法或作守其所命守者何益之有、因萬有之主愀然度日、愀然度日或作常懷憂悶何益之有、

“ You have said,‘ It is futile to serve God. What do we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord Almighty?

“ You have said,‘ It is useless to serve God. What do we gain by obeying his laws? And what do we get by pretending to be sad in front of the Lord?

You have said,‘ It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts?

You have said,“ It is useless to serve God. What have we gained by keeping his requirements and walking mournfully before the LORD of Armies?

You have said,‘ It is pointless to serve God; and what benefit is it for us that we have done what He required, and that we have walked in mourning before the Lord of armies?

You have said,‘ It is useless to serve God; What profit is it that we have kept His ordinance, And that we have walked as mourners Before the Lord of hosts?

Ye have said, It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept his charge, and that we have walked mournfully before Jehovah of hosts?

You have said:“ It is useless to serve God. What have we gained by keeping His requirements and walking mournfully before the Lord of Hosts?

Ye have said, It[ is] vain to serve God: and what profit[ is it] that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?

You have said,‘ It is useless to serve God. How have we been helped by keeping his requirements and going about like mourners before the LORD who rules over all?

You have said,‘ It is vain to serve God;’ and‘ What profit is it that we have followed his instructions, and that we have walked mournfully before Yahweh of Armies?

‘ We have fasted before you!’ they say.‘ Why aren’t you impressed? We have been very hard on ourselves, and you don’t even notice it!’“ I will tell you why!” I respond.“ It’s because you are fasting to please yourselves. Even while you fast, you keep oppressing your workers.

They scoff and speak only evil; in their pride they seek to crush others.They boast against the very heavens, and their words strut throughout the earth.And so the people are dismayed and confused, drinking in all their words.“ What does God know?” they ask.“ Does the Most High even know what’s happening?”Look at these wicked people— enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply.Did I keep my heart pure for nothing? Did I keep myself innocent for no reason?

That is why the Lord says,“ Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning.

Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy.

They were to ask this question of the prophets and the priests at the Temple of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies:“ Should we continue to mourn and fast each summer on the anniversary of the Temple’s destruction, as we have done for so many years?”The Lord of Heaven’s Armies sent me this message in reply:“ Say to all your people and your priests,‘ During these seventy years of exile, when you fasted and mourned in the summer and in early autumn, was it really for me that you were fasting?And even now in your holy festivals, aren’t you eating and drinking just to please yourselves?

For you also ask,‘ What’s in it for me? What’s the use of living a righteous life?’

“ I will search with lanterns in Jerusalem’s darkest corners to punish those who sit complacent in their sins. They think the Lord will do nothing to them, either good or bad.

For they said to God,‘ Leave us alone! What can the Almighty do to us?’

He has even said,‘ Why waste time trying to please God?’

And yet they say to God,‘ Go away. We want no part of you and your ways.Who is the Almighty, and why should we obey him? What good will it do us to pray?’