Habakkuk 2

1 I will stand at my guard post and station myself on the ramparts. I will watch to see what He will say to me, and how I should answer when corrected.

I will take my position and be on watch, placing myself on my tower, looking out to see what he will say to me, and what answer he will give to my protest.

2 Then the LORD answered me: “Write down this vision and clearly inscribe it on tablets, so that a herald may run with it.

And the Lord gave me an answer, and said, Put the vision in writing and make it clear on stones, so that the reader may go quickly.

3 For the vision awaits an appointed time; it testifies of the end and does not lie. Though it lingers, wait for it, since it will surely come and will not delay.

For the vision is still for the fixed time, and it is moving quickly to the end, and it will not be false: even if it is slow in coming, go on waiting for it; because it will certainly come, it will not be kept back.

4 Look at the proud one; his soul is not upright — but the righteous will live by faith —

As for the man of pride, my soul has no pleasure in him; but the upright man will have life through his good faith.

5 and wealth indeed betrays him. He is an arrogant man never at rest. He enlarges his appetite like Sheol, and like Death, he is never satisfied. He gathers all the nations to himself and collects all the peoples as his own. (Sheol h7585)

A curse on the cruel and false one! the man full of pride, who never has enough; who makes his desires wide as the underworld! he is like death; he is never full, but he makes all nations come to him, getting all peoples together to himself. (Sheol h7585)

6 Will not all of these take up a taunt against him, speaking with mockery and derision: ‘Woe to him who amasses what is not his and makes himself rich with many loans! How long will this go on?’

Will not all these take up a word of shame against him and a bitter saying against him, and say, A curse on him who goes on taking what is not his and is weighted down with the property of debtors!

7 Will not your creditors suddenly arise and those who disturb you awaken? Then you will become their prey.

Will not your creditors suddenly be moved against you, and your troublers get up from their sleep, and you will be to them like goods taken in war?

8 Because you have plundered many nations, the remnant of the people will plunder you— because of your bloodshed against man and your violence against the land, the city, and all their dwellers.

Because you have taken their goods from great nations, all the rest of the peoples will take your goods from you; because of men's blood and violent acts against the land and the town and all who are living in it.

9 Woe to him who builds his house by unjust gain, to place his nest on high and escape the hand of disaster!

A curse on him who gets evil profits for his family, so that he may put his resting-place on high and be safe from the hand of the wrongdoer!

10 You have plotted shame for your house by cutting off many peoples and forfeiting your life.

You have been a cause of shame to your house by cutting off a number of peoples, and sinning against your soul.

11 For the stones will cry out from the wall, and the rafters will echo it from the woodwork.

For the stone will give a cry out of the wall, and it will be answered by the board out of the woodwork.

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

A curse on him who is building a place with blood, and basing a town on evil-doing!

13 Is it not indeed from the LORD of Hosts that the labor of the people only feeds the fire, and the nations weary themselves in vain?

See, is it not the pleasure of the Lord of armies that the peoples are working for the fire and using themselves up for nothing?

14 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.

For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the sea is covered by the waters.

15 Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors, pouring it from the wineskin until they are drunk, in order to gaze at their nakedness!

A curse on him who gives his neighbour the wine of his wrath, making him overcome with strong drink from the cup of his passion, so that you may be a witness of their shame!

16 You will be filled with shame instead of glory. You too must drink and expose your uncircumcision! The cup in the LORD’s right hand will come around to you, and utter disgrace will cover your glory.

You are full of shame in place of glory: take your part in the drinking, and let your shame be uncovered: the cup of the Lord's right hand will come round to you and your glory will be covered with shame.

17 For your violence against Lebanon will overwhelm you, and the destruction of animals will terrify you, because of your bloodshed against men and your violence against the land, the city, and all their dwellers.

For the violent acts against Lebanon will come on you, and the destruction of the cattle will be a cause of fear to you, because of men's blood and the violent acts against the land and the town and all who are living in it.

18 What use is an idol, that a craftsman should carve it— or an image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak.

What profit is the pictured image to its maker? and as for the metal image, the false teacher, why does its maker put his faith in it, making false gods without a voice?

19 Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Awake!’ or to silent stone, ‘Arise!’ Can it give guidance? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, yet there is no breath in it at all.”

A curse on him who says to the wood, Awake! to the unbreathing stone, Up! let it be a teacher! See, it is plated with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all inside it.

20 But the LORD is in His holy temple; let all the earth be silent before Him.

But the Lord is in his holy Temple: let all the earth be quiet before him.