Isaiah 64

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

Oh that you would tear the heavens, that you would come down, that the mountains might quake at your 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!

as when fire kindles the brushwood, and the fire causes the water to boil. Make your name known to your adversaries, that the nations may tremble at your presence!

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

When you did awesome things which we didn’t look for, you came down, and the mountains quaked at your presence.

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

For from of old men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen a God besides you, who works for him who waits for him.

5 Thou 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.

You meet him who rejoices and does righteousness, those who remember you in your ways. Behold, you were angry, and we sinned. We have been in sin for a long time. Shall we be saved?

6 And 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;

For we have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteousness is like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

7 and 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.

There is no one who calls on your name, who stirs himself up to take hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us, and have consumed us by means of our iniquities.

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

But now, LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay and you our potter. We all are the work of your hand.

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

Don’t be furious, LORD. Don’t remember iniquity forever. Look and see, we beg you, we are all your people.

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

Your holy cities have become a wilderness. Zion has become a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.

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

Our holy and our beautiful house where our fathers praised you is burned with fire. All our pleasant places are laid waste.

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

Will you hold yourself back for these things, LORD? Will you keep silent and punish us very severely?