Habakkuk 2

1 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.

I will stand on my watch, and set me on the tower, and will watch to see what he will say to me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.

2 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.

And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain on tables, that he may run that reads it.

3 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.

For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

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

Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

5 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)

Yes also, because he transgresses by wine, he is a proud man, neither keeps at home, who enlarges his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathers to him all nations, and heaps to him all people: (Sheol h7585)

6 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!

Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increases that which is not his! how long? and to him that lades himself with thick clay!

7 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?

Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite you, and awake that shall vex you, and you shall be for booties to them?

8 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.

Because you have spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil you; because of men’s blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein.

9 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!

Woe to him that covets an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil!

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

You have consulted shame to your house by cutting off many people, and have sinned against your soul.

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

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

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

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

13 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?

Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labor in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity?

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

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

15 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!

Woe to him that gives his neighbor drink, that put your bottle to him, and make him drunken also, that you may look on their nakedness!

16 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.

You are filled with shame for glory: drink you also, and let your foreskin be uncovered: the cup of the LORD’s right hand shall be turned to you, and shameful spewing shall be on your glory.

17 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.

For the violence of Lebanon shall cover you, and the spoil of beasts, which made them afraid, because of men’s blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein.

18 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?

What profits the graven image that the maker thereof has graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusts therein, to make dumb idols?

19 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.

Woe to him that says to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the middle of it.

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

But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.