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

Didst Thou not rend the heavens? Thou didst come down, From thy presence did mountains flow,

2 a s 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!

(As fire kindleth stubble -- Fire causeth water to boil,) To make known Thy name to Thine adversaries, From Thy presence do nations tremble.

3 W hen thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence.

In Thy doing fearful things -- we expect not, Thou didst come down, From Thy presence did mountains flow.

4 F or 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.

Even from antiquity have not heard, They have not given ear, Eye hath not seen a God save Thee, He doth work for those waiting for Him.

5 T hou 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.

Thou hast met with the rejoicer And the doer of righteousness, In Thy ways they remember Thee, Lo, Thou hast been wroth when we sin, By them continuance, and we are saved.

6 B ut 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.

And we are as unclean -- all of us, And as a garment passing away, all our righteous acts; And we fade as a leaf -- all of us. And our iniquities as wind do take us away.

7 A nd 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.

And there is none calling in Thy name, Stirring up himself to lay hold on Thee, For Thou hast hid Thy face from us, And thou meltest us away by our iniquities.

8 B ut now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.

And now, O Jehovah, thou our Father, We the clay, and Thou our Framer, And the work of Thy hand -- all of us.

9 B e not wroth very sore, O Lord, neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people.

Be not wroth, O Jehovah, very sore, Nor for ever remember iniquity, Lo, look attentively, we beseech Thee, Thy people we all.

10 T hy holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.

Thy holy cities have been a wilderness, Zion a wilderness hath been, Jerusalem a desolation.

11 O ur holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burned up with fire: and all our pleasant things are laid waste.

Our holy and our beautiful house, Where praise Thee did our fathers, Hath become burnt with fire, And all our desirable things have become a waste.

12 W ilt thou refrain thyself for these things, O Lord ? wilt thou hold thy peace, and afflict us very sore?

For these dost Thou refrain Thyself, Jehovah? Thou art silent, and dost afflict us very sore!'