Habakkuk 1

1 The burden which Habakkuk the prophet saw.

THE BURDEN which Habakkuk the prophet did see.

2 O Jehovah, how long shall I cry, and thou will not hear? I cry out to thee of violence, and thou will not save.

How long, O LORD, shall I cry, and Thou wilt not hear? I cry out unto Thee of violence, and Thou wilt not save.

3 Why do thou show me iniquity, and look upon perverseness? For destruction and violence are before me, and there is strife, and contention rises up.

Why dost Thou show me iniquity, and beholdest mischief? And why are spoiling and violence before me? so that there is strife, and contention ariseth.

4 Therefore the law is slacked, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked man surrounds the righteous man, therefore justice goes forth perverted.

Therefore the law is slacked, and right doth never go forth; for the wicked doth beset the righteous; therefore right goeth forth perverted.

5 Behold ye scoffers, and look, and wonder marvelously. For I am working a work in your days, which ye will not believe though it be told you.

Look ye among the nations, and behold, and wonder marvellously; for, behold, a work shall be wrought in your days, which ye will not believe though it be told you.

6 For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth to possess dwelling-places that are not theirs.

For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and impetuous nation, that march through the breadth of the earth, to possess dwelling-places that are not theirs.

7 They are fearful and dreadful. Their judgment and their dignity proceed from themselves.

They are terrible and dreadful; their law and their majesty proceed from themselves.

8 Their horses also are swifter than leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves. And their horsemen press proudly on. Yea, their horsemen come from far. They fly as an eagle that hastens to devour.

Their horses also are swifter than leopards, and are more fierce than the wolves of the desert; and their horsemen spread themselves; yea, their horsemen come from far, they fly as a vulture that hasteth to devour.

9 They come all of them for violence. The set of their faces is forwards, and they gather captives as the sand.

They come all of them for violence; their faces are set eagerly as the east wind; and they gather captives as the sand.

10 Yea, he scoffs at kings, and rulers are a derision to him. He derides every stronghold, for he heaps up dust, and takes it.

And they scoff at kings, and princes are a derision unto them; they deride every stronghold, for they heap up earth, and take it.

11 Then he shall sweep by as a wind, and shall pass over, and be guilty; he whose might is his god.

Then their spirit doth pass over and transgress, and they become guilty: even they who impute their might unto their god.

12 Are not thou from everlasting, O Jehovah my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O Jehovah, thou have ordained him for judgment, and thou, O Rock, have established him for correction.

Art not Thou from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O LORD, Thou hast ordained them for judgment, and Thou, O Rock, hast established them for correction.

13 Thou who are of purer eyes than to behold evil, and who cannot look on perverseness, why do thou look upon those who deal treacherously, and hold thy peace when the wicked man swallows up the man who is more righteous than he,

Thou that art of eyes too pure to behold evil, and that canst not look on mischief, wherefore lookest Thou, when they deal treacherously, and holdest Thy peace, when the wicked swalloweth up the man that is more righteous than he;

14 and makes men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?

And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?

15 He takes all of them up with the hook. He catches them in his net, and gathers them in his drag. Therefore he rejoices and is glad.

They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag; therefore they rejoice and exult.

16 Therefore he sacrifices to his net, and burns incense to his drag, because by them his portion is fat, and his food plentiful.

Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and offer unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their food plenteous.

17 Shall he therefore empty his net, and not spare to kill the nations continually?

Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare to slay the nations continually?