Ambacum 1

1 The burden which the prophet Ambacum saw.

The revelation which Habakkuk the prophet saw.

2 How long, O Lord, shall I cry out, and you will not listen? [how long] shall I cry out to you being injured, and you will not save?

LORD, how long will I cry, and you will not hear? I cry out to you “Violence!” and will you not save?

3 Therefore have you shown me troubles and griefs to look upon, misery and ungodliness? judgement is before me, and the judge receives a reward.

Why do you show me iniquity, and look at perversity? For destruction and violence are before me. There is strife, and contention rises up.

4 Therefore the law is frustrated, and judgement proceeds not effectually, for the ungodly [man] prevails over the just; therefore perverse judgement will proceed.

Therefore the law is paralysed, and justice never prevails; for the wicked surround the righteous; therefore justice comes out perverted.

5 Behold, you despisers, and look, and wonder marvellously, and vanish: for I work a work in your days, which you will in no wise believe, though a man declare [it to you].

“Look amongst the nations, watch, and wonder marvellously; for I am working a work in your days which you will not believe though it is told you.

6 Therefore, behold, I stir up the Chaldeans, the bitter and hasty nation, that walks upon the breadth of the earth, to inherit tabernacles not his own.

For, behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation who march through the width of the earth, to possess dwelling places that are not theirs.

7 He is terrible and famous; his judgement shall proceed of himself, and his dignity shall come out of himself.

They are feared and dreaded. Their judgement and their dignity proceed from themselves.

8 And his horses shall bound [more swiftly] than leopards, and [they are] fiercer than the wolves of Arabia: and his horsemen shall ride forth, and shall rush from far; and they shall fly as an eagle hasting to eat.

Their horses also are swifter than leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves. Their horsemen press proudly on. Yes, their horsemen come from afar. They fly as an eagle that hurries to devour.

9 Destruction shall come upon ungodly men, resisting with their adverse front, and he shall gather the captivity as the sand.

All of them come for violence. Their hordes face forward. They gather prisoners like sand.

10 And he shall be at his ease with kings, and princes are his toys, and he shall mock at every strong-hold, and shall cast a mound, and take possession of it.

Yes, they scoff at kings, and princes are a derision to them. They laugh at every stronghold, for they build up an earthen ramp and take it.

11 Then shall he change his spirit, and he shall pass through, and make an atonement, [saying], This strength [belongs] to my god.

Then they sweep by like the wind and go on. They are indeed guilty, whose strength is their god.”

12 [Are] not you from the beginning, O Lord God, my Holy One? and surely we shall not die. O Lord, you have established it for judgement, and he has formed me to chasten [with] his correction.

Aren’t you from everlasting, LORD my God, my Holy One? We will not die. LORD, you have appointed them for judgement. You, Rock, have established him to punish.

13 [His] eye is too pure to behold evil [doings], and to look upon grievous afflictions: therefore do you look upon despisers? will you be silent when the ungodly swallows up the just?

You who have purer eyes than to see evil, and who cannot look on perversity, why do you tolerate those who deal treacherously and keep silent when the wicked swallows up the man who is more righteous than he,

14 And will you make men as the fishes of the sea, and as the reptiles which have no guide?

and make men like the fish of the sea, like the creeping things that have no ruler over them?

15 He has brought up destruction with a hook, and drawn one with a casting net, and caught another in his drags: therefore shall his heart rejoice and be glad.

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

16 Therefore will he sacrifice to his drag, and burn incense to his casting-net, because by them he has made his portion fat, and his meats choice.

Therefore he sacrifices to his net and burns incense to his dragnet, because by them his life is luxurious and his food is good.

17 Therefore will he cast his net, and will not spare to kill the nations continually.

Will he therefore continually empty his net, and kill the nations without mercy?