Isaiah 64

What do we know about ears and eyes? That we can be blinded and deaf. It is a troubling thought. We perceive with such a grey and foggy outlook, sheltered, so we think, behind our inner construction of reality. How do we tell the truth and distinguish truth from its alternate? Perhaps when disaster strikes, we learn who has been idolatrous. Verse 3 picks up a theme in Isaiah of eyes and ears, first noted in chapter 6. 1 Corinthians 2:9 will pick up on this chapter. Some translations force verse 3 here into a form that Paul might have quoted directly. Paul's quote would argue against the presence of the atnah in his text or in the Greek he might have used.

Isaiah 64		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
כִּקְדֹ֧חַ אֵ֣שׁ הֲמָסִ֗ים מַ֚יִם תִּבְעֶה־אֵ֔שׁ לְהוֹדִ֥יעַ שִׁמְךָ֖ לְצָרֶ֑יךָ מִפָּנֶ֖יךָ גּוֹיִ֥ם יִרְגָּֽזוּ	1		As incandescent fire sizzles, fire makes water simmer, to make known your name to your foes. From your presence nations shudder,	3c	4C	21 9
בַּעֲשׂוֹתְךָ֥ נוֹרָא֖וֹת לֹ֣א נְקַוֶּ֑ה יָרַ֕דְתָּ מִפָּנֶ֖יךָ הָרִ֥ים נָזֹֽלּוּ	2		when you do fearful things we did not expect. You came down. From your presence, the mountains flowed.	3e	4B	11 12
וּמֵעוֹלָ֥ם לֹא־שָׁמְע֖וּ לֹ֣א הֶאֱזִ֑ינוּ עַ֣יִן לֹֽא־רָאָ֗תָה אֱלֹהִים֙ זוּלָ֣תְךָ֔ יַעֲשֶׂ֖ה לִמְחַכֵּה־לֽוֹ	3		And even from of old, they did not hear nor lend an ear. Eye did not see, O God, except you, what will be done for one who tarries for him.	3e	4B	12 17
פָּגַ֤עְתָּ אֶת־שָׂשׂ֙ וְעֹ֣שֵׂה צֶ֔דֶק בִּדְרָכֶ֖יךָ יִזְכְּר֑וּךָ הֵן־אַתָּ֤ה קָצַ֙פְתָּ֙ וַֽנֶּחֱטָ֔א בָּהֶ֥ם עוֹלָ֖ם וְנִוָּשֵֽׁעַ	4		You compelled one who sang for joy and did what is righteous. By your ways, they remember you. Lo you, you are raging and we have sinned in them of old, but we will be saved.	3e	4C	18 19
וַנְּהִ֤י כַטָּמֵא֙ כֻּלָּ֔נוּ וּכְבֶ֥גֶד עִדִּ֖ים כָּל־צִדְקֹתֵ֑ינוּ וַנָּ֤בֶל כֶּֽעָלֶה֙ כֻּלָּ֔נוּ וַעֲוֺנֵ֖נוּ כָּר֥וּחַ יִשָּׂאֻֽנוּ	5		But we are as defiled, all of us, and as menstrual garment, all our righteousness. And we wither as a leaf, all of us, and our iniquities, as wind, have borne us.	3e	4C	18 21
וְאֵין־קוֹרֵ֣א בְשִׁמְךָ֔ מִתְעוֹרֵ֖ר לְהַחֲזִ֣יק בָּ֑ךְ כִּֽי־הִסְתַּ֤רְתָּ פָנֶ֙יךָ֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ וַתְּמוּגֵ֖נוּ בְּיַד־עֲוֺנֵֽנוּ	6		And there is none calling in your name, unleashing self, to be encouraged in you, for you hide your face from us, and have softened us by means of our iniquity.	3e	4C	15 20
וְעַתָּ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה אָבִ֣ינוּ אָ֑תָּה אֲנַ֤חְנוּ הַחֹ֙מֶר֙ וְאַתָּ֣ה יֹצְרֵ֔נוּ וּמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יָדְךָ֖ כֻּלָּֽנוּ	7		And now Yahweh, our father you are. We are the clay, but you, our potter. And the construction of your hand are we all.	3e	4C	10 21
אַל־תִּקְצֹ֤ף יְהוָה֙ עַד־מְאֹ֔ד וְאַל־לָעַ֖ד תִּזְכֹּ֣ר עָוֺ֑ן הֵ֥ן הַבֶּט־נָ֖א עַמְּךָ֥ כֻלָּֽנוּ	8		Do not be enraged Yahweh excessively, and do not for ever remember iniquity. Lo, take note, please, we all are your people.	3e	4C	16 9
עָרֵ֥י קָדְשְׁךָ֖ הָי֣וּ מִדְבָּ֑ר צִיּוֹן֙ מִדְבָּ֣ר הָיָ֔תָה יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם שְׁמָמָֽה	9		Your holy cities are a wilderness. Zion a wilderness has become. Jerusalem a desolation.	3e	4B	9 14
בֵּ֧ית קָדְשֵׁ֣נוּ וְתִפְאַרְתֵּ֗נוּ אֲשֶׁ֤ר הִֽלְל֙וּךָ֙ אֲבֹתֵ֔ינוּ הָיָ֖ה לִשְׂרֵ֣פַת אֵ֑שׁ וְכָל־מַחֲמַדֵּ֖ינוּ הָיָ֥ה לְחָרְבָּֽה	10	c	Our holy and adorned house, where our ancestors praised you is incinerated with fire, and all our coveted things are deserted.	3c	4C	24 12
הַעַל־אֵ֥לֶּה תִתְאַפַּ֖ק יְהוָ֑ה תֶּחֱשֶׁ֥ה וּתְעַנֵּ֖נוּ עַד־מְאֹֽד ס	11		About these will you repress yourself Yahweh? You are becalmed and you afflict us excessively.	3e	4A	9 11