Isaiah 64
1 I wolde that thou brakist heuenes, and camest doun, that hillis fletiden awei fro thi face,
Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence,
2 and failiden as brennyng of fier, and brente in fier; that thi name were made knowun to thin enemyes, and folkis weren disturblid of thi face.
As [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!
3 Whanne thou schalt do merueils, we schulen not abide. Thou camest doun, and hillis fletiden awei fro thi face.
When thou didst terrible things [which] we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence.
4 Fro the world thei herden not, nethir perseyueden with eeris; God, non iye siy, withouten thee, what thingis thou hast maad redi to hem that abiden thee.
For 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.
5 Thou mettist hym that is glad, and doith riytfulnesse; in thi weies thei schulen bithenke on thee. Lo! thou art wrooth, and we synneden; in tho synnes we weren euere, and we schulen be saued.
Thou 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.
6 And alle we ben maad as an vncleene man; alle oure riytfulnessis ben as the cloth of a womman in vncleene blood; and alle we fellen doun as a leef, and our wickidnessis as wynd han take awei vs.
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.
7 Noon is, that clepith thi name to help, that risith, and holdith thee; thou hast hid thi face fro vs, and thou hast hurtlid doun vs in the hond of oure wickidnesse.
And [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.
8 And now, Lord, thou art oure fadir; forsothe we ben cley, and thou art oure maker, and alle we ben the werkis of thin hondis.
But now, O LORD, thou [art] our father; we [are] the clay, and thou our potter; and we all [are] the work of thy hand.
9 Lord, be thou not wrooth ynow, and haue thou no more mynde on oure wickidnesse. Lo! Lord, biholde thou, alle we ben thi puple.
Be not wroth very sore, O LORD, neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we [are] all thy people.
10 The citee of thi seyntuarie is forsakun, Sion is maad deseert, Jerusalem is desolat;
Thy holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.
11 the hous of oure halewyng and of oure glorie, where oure fadris herieden thee, is maad in to brennyng of fier; and alle oure desirable thingis ben turned in to fallyngis.
Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burned up with fire: and all our pleasant things are laid waste.
12 Lord, whether on these thingis thou schalt witholde thee? schalt thou be stille, and schalt thou turmente vs greetli?
Wilt thou refrain thyself for these [things], O LORD? wilt thou hold thy peace, and afflict us very sore?
