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64 O, that Thou wouldest rend Shomayim, that Thou wouldest come down, so that the harim might shake at Thy presence,

(64:1) As eish burneth brushwood, eish causeth the mayim to boil, [O, that Thou wouldst come down] to make Thy Shem known to Thine adversaries, that the Goyim might tremble at Thy presence!

(2) When Thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, Thou camest down, the harim shook at Thy presence.

(3) For me’olam (since ancient times) no one hath heard, nor perceived by the ozen, neither hath the ayin seen any Elohim besides Thee, Who acts on behalf of him that waiteth for Him.

(4) Thou meetest with him that rejoiceth to work tzedek, those that remember Thee in Thy drakhim; see, Thou art in wrath; for we have been in sins; in them a long time, and shall we be saved?

(5) But we are all as the tameh (unclean thing), and kol tzidkoteinu (all our righteousness, our righteous deeds, works) are like beged iddim (filthy rags, a garment of menstruation); and we all do fade like the aleh (leaf); and avoneinu (our iniquities), like the ruach, have taken us away.

(6) And there is none that calleth upon Thy Shem, that stirreth up himself to take hold of Thee; for Thou hast hid Thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of avoneinu.

(7) But now, Hashem, Thou art Avinu (Our Father); we are the chomer (clay), and Thou, Yotzreinu (our Potter, Maker, Creator); and we all are the ma’aseh (work) of Thy yad.

(8) Be not in wrath ad me’od, Hashem, neither remember avon forever; behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all Thy people.

10 (9) Arei Kadsheicha (Thy holy cities) are a midbar, Tziyon is a midbar, Yerushalayim, a desolation.

11 (10) Beis Kadsheinu v’Tifarteinu, where Avoteinu praised Thee, is burned up with eish; and kol machamadeinu (all our desiring) is in ruins.

12 (11) Wilt Thou refrain Thyself after these things, Hashem? Wilt Thou hold Thy peace, and afflict us ad me’od?

64 [a]Oh, that you would rend the heavens(A) and come down,(B)
    that the mountains(C) would tremble before you!
As when fire sets twigs ablaze
    and causes water to boil,
come down to make your name(D) known to your enemies
    and cause the nations to quake(E) before you!
For when you did awesome(F) things that we did not expect,
    you came down, and the mountains trembled(G) before you.
Since ancient times no one has heard,
    no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,(H)
    who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.(I)
You come to the help of those who gladly do right,(J)
    who remember your ways.
But when we continued to sin against them,
    you were angry.(K)
    How then can we be saved?
All of us have become like one who is unclean,(L)
    and all our righteous(M) acts are like filthy rags;
we all shrivel up like a leaf,(N)
    and like the wind our sins sweep us away.(O)
No one(P) calls on your name(Q)
    or strives to lay hold of you;
for you have hidden(R) your face from us
    and have given us over(S) to[b] our sins.

Yet you, Lord, are our Father.(T)
    We are the clay, you are the potter;(U)
    we are all the work of your hand.(V)
Do not be angry(W) beyond measure, Lord;
    do not remember our sins(X) forever.
Oh, look on us, we pray,
    for we are all your people.(Y)
10 Your sacred cities(Z) have become a wasteland;
    even Zion is a wasteland, Jerusalem a desolation.(AA)
11 Our holy and glorious temple,(AB) where our ancestors praised you,
    has been burned with fire,
    and all that we treasured(AC) lies in ruins.
12 After all this, Lord, will you hold yourself back?(AD)
    Will you keep silent(AE) and punish us beyond measure?

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 64:1 In Hebrew texts 64:1 is numbered 63:19b, and 64:2-12 is numbered 64:1-11.
  2. Isaiah 64:7 Septuagint, Syriac and Targum; Hebrew have made us melt because of