573 B
573 B
all our righteous deeds are like a menstrual rag
A "menstrual rag" is a cloth that a woman uses during the time of month when she bleeds from her womb. This means all their attempts to please God fail. This sentence was meant to be shocking.
We have all withered like leaves
Isaiah compares the people of Israel to leaves that dry up when dead.
our iniquities, like the wind, carry us away
This means their sins, as a community, are the reason for their failure. Isaiah compares the iniquities to the wind as the force for their suffering Yahweh's punishment.