Isaiah 64

1 Oh that you would rend the heavens, that you would come down, that the mountains might flow down at your presence,

“Oh, if you had split open the heavens and come down! The mountains would have shaken at your presence,

2 As when the melting fire burns, the fire causes the waters to boil, to make your name known to your adversaries, that the nations may tremble at your presence!

as when fire kindles the brushwood, or the fire makes water boil. Oh, that your name would be known by your adversaries, that the nations would tremble at your presence!

3 When you did terrible things which we looked not for, you came down, the mountains flowed down at your presence.

Previously, when you did marvelous things that we had not expected, you came down, and the mountains trembled at your presence.

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

Since ancient times no one has heard or perceived, nor eye seen any God besides you, who does things for him who waits for him.

5 You meet him that rejoices and works righteousness, those that remember you in your ways: behold, you are angry; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved.

You come to help those who rejoice in doing what is right, those who call to mind your ways and obey them. You were angry when we sinned. In your ways we will always be rescued.

6 But 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.

For we have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a menstrual rag. We have all withered like leaves; our iniquities, like the wind, carry us away.

7 And there is none that calls upon your name, that stirs up himself to take hold of you: for you have hid your face from us, and have consumed us, because of our iniquities.

There are none who calls on your name, who makes an effort to take hold of you. For you have hidden your face from us and made us waste away in the hand of our iniquities.

8 But now, O LORD, you are our father; we are the clay, and you our potter; and we all are the work of your hand.

Yet, Yahweh, you are our father; we are the clay. You are our potter; and we all are the work of your hand.

9 Be not angry very sore, O LORD, neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, see, we plead to you, we are all your people.

Be not too angry, Yahweh, nor always call to mind against us our sins. Please look at us all, your people.

10 Your holy cities are 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 you, is burned up with fire: and all our pleasant things are laid waste.

Our holy and beautiful temple, where our fathers praised you, has been destroyed by fire, and all that was so dear is in ruins.

12 Will you refrain yourself for these things, O LORD? will you hold your peace, and afflict us very sore?

How can you still hold back, Yahweh? How can you remain silent and continue to humiliate us?”