Isaiah 64

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

If only You would rend the heavens and come down, so that mountains would quake at Your presence,

2 as when fire kindles the brushwood, and the fire causes the waters to boil; to make your name known to your adversaries, that the nations may tremble at your presence.

as fire kindles the brushwood and causes the water to boil, to make Your name known to Your enemies, so that the nations will tremble at Your presence!

3 When you did awesome things which we did not look for, you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.

When You did awesome works that we did not expect, You came down, and the mountains trembled at Your presence.

4 Since ancient times no one has heard, and no ear has perceived, and no eye has seen a God besides you, who works for him who waits for him.

From ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides You, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.

5 You meet him who rejoices and works righteousness, those who remember you in your ways. Look, you were angry, and we sinned. We have been in sin for a long time; and shall we be saved?

You welcome those who gladly do right, who remember Your ways. Surely You were angry, for we sinned. How can we be saved if we remain in our sins?

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

Each of us has become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind.

7 There is none who calls on your name, who stirs up himself to take hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us, and have consumed us by means of our iniquities.

No one calls on Your name or strives to take hold of You. For You have hidden Your face from us and delivered us into the hand of our iniquity.

8 But now, LORD, you are our Father, and we are clay, and you are our potter; and we all are the work of your hands.

But now, O LORD, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You are the potter; we are all the work of Your hand.

9 Do not be furious, LORD, neither remember iniquity forever: see, look, we beg you, we are all your people.

Do not be angry, O LORD, beyond measure; do not remember our iniquity forever. Oh, look upon us, we pray; we are all Your people!

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

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

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

Our holy and beautiful temple, where our fathers praised You, has been burned with fire, and all that was dear to us lies in ruins.

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

After all this, O LORD, will You restrain Yourself? Will You keep silent and afflict us beyond measure?