47:6 I was angry at my people;
I defiled my special possession
and handed them over to you.
You showed them no mercy; 4
you even placed a very heavy burden on old people. 5
57:16 For I will not be hostile 6 forever
or perpetually angry,
for then man’s spirit would grow faint before me, 7
the life-giving breath I created.
64:5 You assist 8 those who delight in doing what is right, 9
who observe your commandments. 10
Look, you were angry because we violated them continually.
How then can we be saved? 11
64:9 Lord, do not be too angry!
Do not hold our sins against us continually! 12
Take a good look at your people, at all of us! 13
1 tn Heb “he will pass through it.” The subject of the collective singular verb is the nation. (See the preceding note.) The immediately preceding context supplies no antecedent for “it” (a third feminine singular suffix in the Hebrew text); the suffix may refer to the land, which would be a reasonable referent with a verb of motion. Note also that אֶרֶץ (’erets, “land”) does appear at the beginning of the next verse.
2 tn The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.
3 tn Or “gods” (NAB, NRSV, CEV).
4 tn Or “compassion.”
5 tn Heb “on the old you made very heavy your yoke.”
7 tn Or perhaps, “argue,” or “accuse” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV).
8 tn Heb “for a spirit from before me would be faint.”
10 tn Heb “meet [with kindness].”
11 tn Heb “the one who rejoices and does righteousness.”
12 tn Heb “in your ways they remember you.”
13 tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “look, you were angry and we sinned against them continually [or perhaps, “in ancient times”] and we were delivered.” The statement makes little sense as it stands. The first vav [ו] consecutive (“and we sinned”) must introduce an explanatory clause here (see Num 1:48 and Isa 39:1 for other examples of this relatively rare use of the vav [ו] consecutive). The final verb (if rendered positively) makes no sense in this context – God’s anger at their sin resulted in judgment, not deliverance. One of the alternatives involves an emendation to וַנִּרְשָׁע (vannirsha’, “and we were evil”; LXX, NRSV, TEV). The Vulgate and the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa support the MT reading. One can either accept an emendation or cast the statement as a question (as above).
13 tn Heb “do not remember sin continually.”
14 tn Heb “Look, gaze at your people, all of us.” Another option is to translate, “Take a good look! We are all your people.”