Habakkuk 1

1 This is the burden that Habakkuk the prophet received in a vision:

The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.

2 How long, O LORD, must I call for help but You do not hear, or cry out to You, “Violence!” but You do not save?

O LORD, how long shall I cry, and you will not hear! even cry out to you of violence, and you will not save!

3 Why do You make me see iniquity? Why do You tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me. Strife is ongoing, and conflict abounds.

Why do you show me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention.

4 Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.

Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment does never go forth: for the wicked does compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceeds.

5 “Look at the nations and observe— be utterly astounded! For I am doing a work in your days that you would never believe even if someone told you.

Behold you among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvelously: for I will work a work in your days which you will not believe, though it be told you.

6 For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans — that ruthless and impetuous nation which marches through the breadth of the earth to seize dwellings not their own.

For, see, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwelling places that are not theirs.

7 They are dreaded and feared; from themselves they derive justice and sovereignty.

They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves.

8 Their horses are swifter than leopards, fiercer than wolves of the night. Their horsemen charge ahead, and their cavalry comes from afar. They fly like a vulture, swooping down to devour.

Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hastens to eat.

9 All of them come bent on violence; their hordes advance like the east wind; they gather prisoners like sand.

They shall come all for violence: their faces shall sup up as the east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the sand.

10 They scoff at kings and make rulers an object of scorn. They laugh at every fortress and build up siege ramps to seize it.

And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a scorn to them: they shall deride every strong hold; for they shall heap dust, and take it.

11 Then they sweep by like the wind and pass on through. They are guilty; their own strength is their god.”

Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend, imputing this his power to his god.

12 Are You not from everlasting, O LORD, my God, my Holy One? We will not die. O LORD, You have appointed them to execute judgment; O Rock, You have established them for correction.

Are you not from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, you have ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, you have established them for correction.

13 Your eyes are too pure to look upon evil, and You cannot tolerate wrongdoing. So why do You tolerate the faithless? Why are You silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?

You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, and can not look on iniquity: why look you on them that deal treacherously, and hold your tongue when the wicked devours the man that is more righteous than he?

14 You have made men like the fish of the sea, like creeping things that have no ruler.

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

15 The foe pulls all of them up with a hook; he catches them in his dragnet, and gathers them in his fishing net; so he rejoices gladly.

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 are glad.

16 Therefore he sacrifices to his dragnet and burns incense to his fishing net, for by these things his portion is sumptuous and his food is rich.

Therefore they sacrifice to their net, and burn incense to their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous.

17 Will he, therefore, empty his net and continue to slay nations without mercy?

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