Habakkuk 2

1 I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will look forth to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer as to my reproof.

I will stand at my watch and set myself on the ramparts, and will look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint.

2 And Jehovah answered me and said, Write the vision, and engrave it upon tablets, that he may run that readeth it.

The LORD answered me, “Write the vision, and make it plain on tablets, that he who runs may read it.

3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but it hasteth to the end, and shall not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; for it will surely come, it will not delay.

For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it hurries towards the end, and won’t prove false. Though it takes time, wait for it, because it will surely come. It won’t delay.

4 Behold, his soul is puffed up, it is not upright within him: but the just shall live by his faith.

Behold, his soul is puffed up. It is not upright in him, but the righteous will live by his faith.

5 And moreover, the wine is treacherous: he is a proud man, and keepeth not at rest, he enlargeth his desire as Sheol, and he is like death and cannot be satisfied; and he assembleth unto him all nations, and gathereth unto him all peoples. (Sheol h7585)

Yes, moreover, wine is treacherous: an arrogant man who doesn’t stay at home, who enlarges his desire as Sheol; he is like death and can’t be satisfied, but gathers to himself all nations and heaps to himself all peoples. (Sheol h7585)

6 Shall not all these take up a proverb about him, and a taunting riddle against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? — and to him that loadeth himself with pledges!

Won’t all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, ‘Woe to him who increases that which is not his, and who enriches himself by extortion! How long?’

7 Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and they awake up that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them?

Won’t your debtors rise up suddenly, and wake up those who make you tremble, and you will be their victim?

8 Because thou hast plundered many nations, all the rest of the peoples shall plunder thee; because of men's blood, and for the violence [done] to the land, to the city, and all that dwell therein.

Because you have plundered many nations, all the remnant of the peoples will plunder you because of men’s blood, and for the violence done to the land, to the city and to all who dwell in it.

9 Woe to him that getteth iniquitous gain to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the grasp of evil!

Woe to him who gets an evil gain for his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the hand of evil!

10 Thou hast devised shame to thy house, by cutting off many peoples, and hast sinned against thine own soul.

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

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

For the stone will cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the woodwork will answer it.

12 Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and establisheth a city by unrighteousness!

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

13 Behold, is it not of Jehovah of hosts that the peoples labour for the fire, and the nations weary themselves in vain?

Behold, isn’t it from the LORD of Armies that the peoples labour for the fire, and the nations weary themselves for vanity?

14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Jehovah as the waters cover the sea.

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

15 Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, — that pourest out thy flask, and makest [him] drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!

“Woe to him who gives his neighbour drink, pouring your inflaming wine until they are drunk, so that you may gaze at their naked bodies!

16 Thou art filled with shame instead of glory; drink thou also, and let thy foreskin be uncovered: the cup of Jehovah's right hand shall be turned unto thee, and a shameful spewing shall be on thy glory.

You are filled with shame, and not glory. You will also drink and be exposed! The cup of the LORD’s right hand will come around to you, and disgrace will cover your glory.

17 For the violence [done] to Lebanon shall cover thee, and the destruction of beasts which made them afraid; because of men's blood, and for the violence [done] to the land, to the city, and all that dwell therein.

For the violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, and the destruction of the animals will terrify you, because of men’s blood and for the violence done to the land, to every city and to those who dwell in them.

18 What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it? the molten image, and the teacher of falsehood, that the maker of his work dependeth thereon, to make dumb idols?

“What value does the engraved image have, that its maker has engraved it; the molten image, even the teacher of lies, that he who fashions its form trusts in it, to make mute idols?

19 Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake! to the dumb stone, Arise! Shall it teach? Behold it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it.

Woe to him who says to the wood, ‘Awake!’ or to the mute stone, ‘Arise!’ Shall this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all within it.

20 But Jehovah is in his holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence before him!

But the LORD is in his holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before him!”