As fire burns something that melts because of it, and as fire causes water to bubble; when you put a coal or glowing metal into water, the water bubbles. All this You did in Egypt, as it is written (Ex. 9: 24): “And there was hail, and fire burning in the midst of the hail.” Jonathan, however, renders: “As fire burned materials that melt,” in reference to Elijah on Mount Carmel, concerning whom it is stated (I Kings 18:38): “and the water which was in the trench, it licked up.”

to make Your name known to Your adversaries like the matter that is stated concerning that plague (Ex. 9:16): “But, because of this I preserved You, [in order to show you My strength, and in order to tell of My name throughout the entire land.]” Had You done this now, then nations would quake from before You.

When You performed against the Egyptians and against all the adversaries awesome deeds, that we did not hope You would perform all those awesome deeds, for we were unworthy of them.

You descended to Mount Sinai, then mountains dripped from before You. In this manner, Dunash son of Labrat explained it.

And whereof no one had ever heard like those awesome deeds performed for one of all the nations before that, and no eye had ever seen another god besides You, that the god would do for him who hoped for him what You did for him who hoped for You. I heard this from Rabbi Jose, and it pleased me. ([Manuscripts yield:] And whereof no one had ever heard like those awesome deeds performed for one of all the nations before that, neither had an eye seen God, besides your eyes, what He would do for one who hoped for Him. Another explanation is: No eye had seen that a god besides You should perform miracles for him who hoped for him, as You do for those who hope for You. From Rabbi Joseph I heard this. Our Rabbis, however, who stated (Ber. 34a): “None of the prophets prophesied except regarding the Messianic era, but the World to Come, ‘no eye saw etc.,’” expounded its meaning in the following manner: No prophet’s eye saw what the Holy One, blessed be He, will do for him who hopes for Him except Your eyes, You, O God.

You smote him who rejoiced and worked righteousness Heb. פָּגַעְתָּ. Comp. (I Kings 2:34) “and he fell (וַיִּפְגַּע) upon him and slew him.” You removed from us and slew the righteous, who would rejoice to work righteousness, and with the ways of Your mercies, they would mention You in their prayer.

behold,...You When You became wroth with us for all that we would sin. through them of old we were saved; with their prayer. [Rashi according to Parshandatha; Printed editions are erroneous.]

we would be saved A present tense [i.e., a continual procedure.]

And we all have become like one unclean since the righteous have departed from us.

and like a discarded garment Heb. עַדִּים. [Jonathan renders:] and like a discarded garment, like a rejected garment, which all say, ‘Remove.’ עִדִּים is the Aramaic translation of removal.

and we...have withered like a leaf Heb. וַנָּבֶל, and we have withered like a leaf; fletrire in French.

and our iniquities carry us away like the wind [Jonathan renders:] And with our sins we were carried away like the wind.

arouses himself Like ‘overpowers his temptation.’

and You caused us to wander Heb. וַתְּמוּגֵנוּ, You caused us to wander.

will You remain silent and afflict us Will You remain silent concerning what is done to us? Until here is the prophet’s prayer. Its beginning is (supra 63:7) “The kind acts of the Lord I will mention.”