Isaiah 64

1Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence,

1Oh, that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, — that the mountains might flow down at thy presence,

1O let the heavens be broken open and come down, so that the mountains may be shaking before you,

2As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence!

2— as fire kindleth brushwood, as the fire causeth water to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations might tremble at thy presence!

2As when fire puts the brushwood in flames, or as when water is boiling from the heat of the fire: to make your name feared by your haters, so that the nations may be shaking before you;

3When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence.

3When thou didst terrible things [which] we looked not for, thou camest down, and the mountains flowed down at thy presence.

3While you do acts of power for which we are not looking, and which have not come to the ears of men in the past.

4For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.

4Never have [men] heard, nor perceived by the ear, nor hath eye seen aGod beside thee, who acteth for him that waiteth for him.

4The ear has not had news of, or the eye seen, ... any God but you, working for the man who is waiting for him.

5Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved.

5Thou meetest him that rejoiceth to do righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: (behold, thou wast wroth, and we have sinned:) in those is perpetuity, and we shall be saved.

5Will you not have mercy on him who takes pleasure in doing righteousness, even on those who keep in mind your ways? Truly you were angry, and we went on doing evil, and sinning against you in the past.

6But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

6And we are all become as an unclean [thing], and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have carried us away;

6For we have all become like an unclean person, and all our good acts are like a dirty robe: and we have all become old like a dead leaf, and our sins, like the wind, take us away.

7And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.

7and there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee; for thou hast hidden thy face from us, and hast caused us to melt away through our iniquities.

7And there is no one who makes prayer to your name, or who is moved to keep true to you: for your face is veiled from us, and you have given us into the power of our sins.

8But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.

8And now, Jehovah, thou art our Father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.

8But now, O Lord, you are our father; we are the earth, and you are our maker; and we are all the work of your hand.

9Be not wroth very sore, O Lord, neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people.

9Be not wroth very sore, O Jehovah, neither remember iniquity for ever. Behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people.

9Be not very angry, O Lord, and do not keep our sins in mind for ever: give ear to our prayer, for we are all your people.

10Thy holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.

10Thy holy cities are become a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.

10Your holy towns have become a waste, Zion has become a waste, Jerusalem is a mass of broken walls.

11Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burned up with fire: and all our pleasant things are laid waste.

11Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burnt up with fire, and all our precious things are laid waste.

11Our holy and beautiful house, where our fathers gave praise to you, is burned with fire; and all the things of our desire have come to destruction.

12Wilt thou refrain thyself for these things, O Lord? wilt thou hold thy peace, and afflict us very sore?

12Wilt thou restrain thyself in presence of these things, Jehovah? Wilt thou hold thy peace, and afflict us very sore?

12In view of all this, will you still do nothing, O Lord? will you keep quiet, and go on increasing our punishment?