Habakkuk 2

1 I will climb my watchtower; I will take my place on the city wall. I will keep watch and see what he will say to me, how he will answer my grievances.

I will stand upon my watch, and mount upon the rock, and watch to see what he will say by me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.

2 Then the Lord told me, Write down the vision, inscribe it on tablets, so it can be easily read.

And the Lord answered me and said, Write the vision, and [that] plainly on a tablet, that he that reads it may run.

3 For the vision is for a future time, it is about the end and it does not lie. If it seems slow in being fulfilled, wait for it, for it will definitely come—it will not be delayed!

For the vision [is] yet for a time, and it shall shoot forth at the end, and not in vain: though he should tarry, wait for him; for he will surely come, and will not tarry.

4 Look at those who are proud! They do not live right. But those who live right do so through their trust in God.

If he should draw back, my soul has no pleasure in him: but the just shall live by my faith.

5 In addition wealth provides no security. Those who are arrogant never have any peace; their greedy mouths are as wide open as the grave, and like death they are never satisfied. They gather nations like possessions, swallowing up many peoples. (Sheol h7585)

But the arrogant man and the scorner, the boastful man, shall not finish anything; who has enlarged his desire as the grave, and like death he is never satisfied, and he will gather to himself all the nations, and will receive to himself all the peoples. (Sheol h7585)

6 Won't all these peoples taunt them? They will ridicule them, saying, “What disaster is coming to you who pile up things that don't belong to you! You make yourselves rich by forcing debtors to pay! How long can you go on doing this?”

Shall not all these take up a parable against him? and a proverb to tell against him? and they shall say, Woe to him that multiplies to himself the possessions which are not his! how long? and who heavily loads his yoke.

7 Won't your debtors suddenly act? Won't they wake up to the situation and make you tremble? You will be plunder for them!

For suddenly there shall arise up those that bite him, and they that plot against thee shall awake, and thou shalt be a plunder to them.

8 Because you have plundered many nations, those who are left will plunder you—for the human blood you have shed and the destruction you brought on lands and cities, and those who lived there.

Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the nations that are left shall spoil [thee], because of the blood of men, and the sins of the land and city, and of all that dwell in it.

9 What disaster is coming to you who build houses through dishonest gain! You think you can place your “nest” so high it will be safe from disaster.

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 evils.

10 Your evil schemes have brought shame upon your families, by destroying many nations you have forfeited your own lives.

Thou hast devised shame to thy house, thou hast utterly destroyed many nations, and thy soul has sinned.

11 Even the stones in the wall cry out in condemnation, and the wooden rafters join in too.

For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beetle out of the timber shall speak.

12 What disaster is coming to you who build cities with bloodshed, who found cities built on wickedness!

Woe to him that builds a city with blood, and establishes a city by unrighteousness.

13 Hasn't the Lord Almighty decided that all such nations work for will be destroyed by fire, that they wear themselves out for nothing?

Are not these things of the Lord Almighty? surely many people have been exhausted in the fire, and many nations have fainted.

14 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord's glory as the waters fill the sea.

For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord; it shall cover them as water.

15 What disaster is coming to you who make your neighbors drunk! You force your cup of anger on them and make them drink so you may see them naked.

Woe to him that gives his neighbour to drink the thick lees [of wine], and intoxicates [him], that he may look upon their secret parts.

16 In turn you will be filled with shame instead of glory. Drink yourself and expose your nakedness! The cup the Lord holds in his right hand will be passed round to you and your glory will turn to shame.

Drink thou also [thy] fill of disgrace instead of glory: shake, O heart, and quake, the cup of the right hand of the Lord has come round upon thee, and dishonour has gathered upon thy glory.

17 As you destroyed the forests of Lebanon you will also be destroyed; you hunted the animals there, and now they will hunt you. For you shed human blood and you destroyed lands and cities, along with those who lived there.

For the ungodliness of Libanus shall cover thee, and distress because of wild beasts shall dismay thee, because of the blood of men, and the sins of the land and city, and of all that dwell in it.

18 What use is a wooden idol carved by human hands, or a metal image that teaches lies? What is the point of their makers trusting in their own handiwork, creating idols that can't speak?

What profit it the graven image, that they have graven it? [one] has made it a molten work, a false image; for the maker has trusted in his work, to make dumb idols.

19 What disaster is coming to you who say to something made of wood, “Wake up!” or to lifeless stone, “Get up!” Can it teach you anything? Look at it! It's covered with gold and silver, but there is no life inside it.

Woe to him that says to the wood, Awake, arise; and to the stone, Be thou exalted! whereas it is an image, and this is a casting of gold and silver, and there is no breath in it.

20 But the Lord is in his holy Temple; let all the earth be silent in his presence.

But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth fear before him.