7 Heb “from ancient times they have not heard, they have not listened.”
8 Heb “meet [with kindness].”
9 Heb “the one who rejoices and does righteousness.”
10 Heb “in your ways they remember you.”
11 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”; , , ). The and the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa support the reading. One can either accept an emendation or cast the statement as a question (as above).

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

From of old no one has heard

or perceived by the ear,

no eye has seen a God besides you,

who acts for those who wait for him.

You meet him who joyfully works righteousness,

those who remember you in your ways.

Behold, you were angry, and we sinned;

in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved?

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Since ancient times no one has heard,

no ear has perceived,

no eye has seen any God besides you,

who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.

You come to the help of those who gladly do right,

who remember your ways.

But when we continued to sin against them,

you were angry.

How then can we be saved?

CSBChristian Standard Bible

From ancient times no one has heard,

no one has listened to,

no eye has seen any God except you

who acts on behalf of the one who waits for him.

You welcome the one who joyfully does what is right;

they remember you in your ways.

But we have sinned, and you were angry.

How can we be saved if we remain in our sins?

NLTNew Living Translation

For since the world began,

no ear has heard

and no eye has seen a God like you,

who works for those who wait for him!

You welcome those who gladly do good,

who follow godly ways.

But you have been very angry with us,

for we are not godly.

We are constant sinners;

how can people like us be saved?

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And since ancient times they have not heard,

have not listened,

no eye has seen a God except you;

he acts for the one who waits for him.

You meet with the one who rejoices,

one who does righteousness.

In your ways they remember you.

Look! You were angry and we sinned against them in ancient times and we were saved.

KJV 1900King James Version

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.

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.

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