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.

Upon my watch will I stand, and place myself upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will speak with me, and what I shall answer to my reproof.

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 answered me, and said, Write down the vision, and make it plain upon the tables, that everyone may read it fluently.

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 there is yet a vision for the appointed time, and it speaketh of the end, and it will not deceive: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not be delayed.

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

Behold, disturbed, not at rest is the soul of [the wicked] in him; but the righteous ever liveth in his [trustful] 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)

And though the wine-[drunken] traitor, the proud man, whose house will not stand, who enlargeth his desire as the grave, and is like death, which cannot be satisfied, —though he gather unto him all the nations, and assemble unto him all the people: (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 parable against him, and a proverb and a satire concerning him? and they will say, Woe to him that increaseth what is not his! for how long? and to him that loadeth himself with a burden of guilt!

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

Behold, suddenly will rise up those that afflict thee, and awake those that plague thee, and thou shalt become a booty unto them.

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 thou hast despoiled many nations will all the remnant of the people despoil thee; because of the blood of men, and the violence against the land, the town, and all that dwell therein.

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

Woe to him that obtaineth an evil gain for his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the grasp of the wicked!

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

Thou hast counselled shame to thy house, by cutting off many people, and sinning [against] thy soul.

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

For the stone will cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the wood [-work] will answer it.

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

Woe to him that buildeth a city with blood-guiltiness, and layeth the foundation of a town by wrong-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?

Behold, is it not from the Lord of hosts that people shall labor for the very fire, and nations shall weary themselves for naught but vanity!

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 shall be filled with knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.

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!

Woe unto him that maketh his neighbors drink, [to thee] that pourest out thy poisonous [wine], and makest them also drunken, in order to look on their nakedness!

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.

Thou art filled with shame instead of glory; drink thou also, and let thy nakedness be uncovered: there shall be turned around thee the cup of the Lord's right hand, and filthy spittle shall be on thy glory.

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 violence against Lebanon shall cover thee, and the destruction of beasts, which he terrified away; because of the blood of men, and the violence against the land, the town, and all that dwell therein.

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 profiteth the graven image that its maker hath graven it? the molten image, and a teacher of falsehood? that the maker of his image trusteth therein, while making dumb idols?

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.”

Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake! Rouse up to the dumb stone. Shall this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and no breath whatever is in its bosom.

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: be silent before him all the earth.