Habakkuk 2

1 I will stand upon my watch, and set myself upon the tower, and will look forth to see what he will speak with me, and what I shall answer concerning my complaint.

I will stand firm during my watch, and fix my position over the fortification. And I will observe carefully, to see what might be said to me and what I might respond to my opponent.

2 And Jehovah answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tablets, that he may run who reads it.

And the Lord responded to me and said: Write the vision and explain it on tablets, so that he who reads it may run through it.

3 For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it hastens toward the end, and shall not lie. Though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come. It will not delay.

For as yet the vision is far off, and it will appear in the end, and it will not lie. If it expresses any delay, wait for it. For it is arriving and it will arrive, and it will not be hindered.

4 Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright in him. (But the righteous man shall live by his faith.

Behold, he who is unbelieving, his soul will not be right within himself; but he who is just shall live in his faith.

5 Yea, moreover, wine is treacherous.) He is a haughty man, who does not keep at home, who enlarges his desire as Sheol, and he is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathers to him all nations, and heaps to him all peoples. (Sheol h7585)

And in the manner that wine deceives the heavy drinker, so will the arrogant man be deceived, and he will not be honored. He has enlarged his life like hellfire, and himself like death, and he is never fulfilled. And he will gather to himself all nations, and he will amass for himself all peoples. (Sheol h7585)

6 Shall not all these take up a derision against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him who increases that which is not his (how long?) and who loads himself with pledges!

Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and an enigmatic utterance about him? And it will be said, “Woe to him who increases what is not his own.” How long, then, will he lay down dense clay against himself?

7 Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee. And thou shall be for booty to them?

Shall they not suddenly rise up, who would bite you, and be stirred up, who would tear you, so that you will be a prey for them?

8 Because thou have plundered many nations, all the remnant of the peoples shall plunder thee, because of men's blood, and for the violence done to the land, to the city and to all who dwell therein.

Because you have despoiled many peoples, all those who are left of the people shall despoil you, because of the blood of men, and the iniquity of the earth, of the city and all who dwell therein.

9 Woe to him who gets an evil gain for his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the hand of evil!

Woe to him who gathers together an evil greed for his house, so that his nest may be exalted, and thinking that he might free himself from the hand of evil.

10 Thou have devised shame to thy house, by cutting off many peoples, and have sinned against thy soul.

You have devised confusion for your house, you have cut to pieces many peoples, and your soul has sinned.

11 For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it.

For the stone will cry out from the wall, and the wood that is between the joints of the building will respond.

12 Woe to him who builds a town with blood, and establishes a city by iniquity!

Woe to him who builds a town with blood and prepares a city by iniquity.

13 Behold, is it not of Jehovah of hosts that the peoples labor for the fire, and the nations weary themselves for vanity?

Are not these things before the Lord of hosts? For the people will labor amid a great fire, and the nations will labor in emptiness, and they will fail.

14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea.

For the earth shall be filled, that they might know the glory of the Lord, like the waters spreading over the sea.

15 Woe to him who gives his neighbor drink, who adds thy venom, and also makes him drunken, that thou may look on their nakedness!

Woe to anyone who gives a drink to a friend, releasing a drug and inebriating, so as to look upon their nakedness.

16 Thou are filled with shame, and not glory. Drink thou also, and be as one uncircumcised. The cup of Jehovah's right hand shall come around to thee, and foul shame shall be upon thy glory.

You are filled with disgrace in place of glory. So then, drink and fall fast asleep, for the cup of the right hand of the Lord will surround you, and a disgraceful vomit will cover your glory.

17 For the violence done to Lebanon shall cover thee and the plunder of the beasts (which made them afraid), because of men's blood, and for the violence done to the land, to the city and to all who dwell therein.

For the iniquity of Lebanon will cover you, and the devastation of animals which will deter them from the blood of men, and the iniquity of the earth and the city, and of all who dwell therein.

18 What profits the graven image, that the maker of it has engraved it, the molten image, even the teacher of lies, that he who fashions its form trusts in it, to make dumb idols?

Of what benefit is the graven image? For its maker has formed it, a molten and imaginary deception. For its maker has hoped in a figment of his own creation, so as to make a dumb likeness.

19 Woe to him who says to the wood, Awake, to the dumb stone, Arise! Shall this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it.

Woe to him who says to wood, “Awaken,” to the silent stone, “Arise.” Is it able to teach? Behold, it has been entirely covered with gold and silver; and there is no spirit at all in its inner workings.

20 But Jehovah is in his holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence before him.

But the Lord is in his holy temple. May all the earth be silent before his face.