Habakkuk 2

1 I will stand firm during my watch, and fix my position over the fortification. And I will observe carefully, to see what might be said to me and what I might respond to my opponent.

I will take my stand on my watch-tower, and station myself on a turret. I will watch to see what the Lord will say to me, what answer he will make to my complaint.

2 And the Lord responded to me and said: Write the vision and explain it on tablets, so that he who reads it may run through it.

Then the Lord answered me and said: Inscribe the vision plainly on tablets, so that even someone running by could read it.

3 For as yet the vision is far off, and it will appear in the end, and it will not lie. If it expresses any delay, wait for it. For it is arriving and it will arrive, and it will not be hindered.

Though the vision waits for the time set, it hastens to fulfilment and will not fail; Though it linger long, wait for it. For it surely will come and will not be delayed.

4 Behold, he who is unbelieving, his soul will not be right within himself; but he who is just shall live in his faith.

The strength of the proud fails, but the upright lives by their faithfulness.

5 And in the manner that wine deceives the heavy drinker, so will the arrogant man be deceived, and he will not be honored. He has enlarged his life like hellfire, and himself like death, and he is never fulfilled. And he will gather to himself all nations, and he will amass for himself all peoples. (Sheol h7585)

Wealth is treacherous, the arrogant never have enough. They make their desire as wide as Sheol, are like death, unsatisfied, For they gather to themselves all the nations, bring together to themselves all peoples. (Sheol h7585)

6 Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and an enigmatic utterance about him? And it will be said, “Woe to him who increases what is not his own.” How long, then, will he lay down dense clay against himself?

Shouldn’t everyone mock them? sing a taunt-song against them, and say: Woe to the person who amasses what is not theirs, and loads them self down with goods taken in pledge!

7 Shall they not suddenly rise up, who would bite you, and be stirred up, who would tear you, so that you will be a prey for them?

Won’t your creditors suddenly rise, and those who will overthrow you awake, and you become their prey?

8 Because you have despoiled many peoples, all those who are left of the people shall despoil you, because of the blood of men, and the iniquity of the earth, of the city and all who dwell therein.

For as you have plundered many peoples, the survivors will prey upon you. You have shed blood and committed violence to the earth, peoples and their cities.

9 Woe to him who gathers together an evil greed for his house, so that his nest may be exalted, and thinking that he might free himself from the hand of evil.

Woe to you who seeks unjust gain for your dynasty, who sets your nest on high to be safe from the reach of misfortune!

10 You have devised confusion for your house, you have cut to pieces many peoples, and your soul has sinned.

You have planned only shame for your dynasty. You have destroyed many peoples, and brought guilt upon yourself;

11 For the stone will cry out from the wall, and the wood that is between the joints of the building will respond.

the stone will cry out from the wall, and the beam from the timber will answer it.

12 Woe to him who builds a town with blood and prepares a city by iniquity.

Woe to the person who builds a city by bloodshed, and founds a town by crime

13 Are not these things before the Lord of hosts? For the people will labor amid a great fire, and the nations will labor in emptiness, and they will fail.

while the peoples toil for what fires will consume, and the nations weary themselves for nothing! This the Lord of hosts has said,

14 For the earth shall be filled, that they might know the glory of the Lord, like the waters spreading over the sea.

and the earth will be as full of the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the seas are full of water.

15 Woe to anyone who gives a drink to a friend, releasing a drug and inebriating, so as to look upon their nakedness.

Woe to him who in fury gives drink to his neighbor to make him drunk, and see him naked.

16 You are filled with disgrace in place of glory. So then, drink and fall fast asleep, for the cup of the right hand of the Lord will surround you, and a disgraceful vomit will cover your glory.

You are filled with shame, not glory; drink yourself and be uncovered. The cup from the Lord’s hand will pass in turn to you, and shame will cover your glory!

17 For the iniquity of Lebanon will cover you, and the devastation of animals which will deter them from the blood of men, and the iniquity of the earth and the city, and of all who dwell therein.

For the violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, the destruction of animals will terrify you, because you shed people’s blood on the earth, destroyed people and their cities.

18 Of what benefit is the graven image? For its maker has formed it, a molten and imaginary deception. For its maker has hoped in a figment of his own creation, so as to make a dumb likeness.

What use is an idol? A human made it, a metal image. It cannot speak, it cannot teach truth, Why does its maker trust it?

19 Woe to him who says to wood, “Awaken,” to the silent stone, “Arise.” Is it able to teach? Behold, it has been entirely covered with gold and silver; and there is no spirit at all in its inner workings.

Woe to the person who says to a block, awake! to a dumb stone, arise! What can it teach? It may be set with gold and silver, but there is no breath at all within it.

20 But the Lord is in his holy temple. May all the earth be silent before his face.

The Lord is in his holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before him!