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 on my watch-tower, And set myself on the bulwark, And watch to see what he will say to me, And what I shall answer to my expostulation.
2 Then the Lord told me, Write down the vision, inscribe it on tablets, so it can be easily read.
And Jehovah answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tablets, That he may run that readeth it.
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 an appointed time, But it hasteneth to the end; it shall not deceive; If it tarry, wait for it; For it shall surely come; it shall not long delay.
4 Look at those who are proud! They do not live right. But those who live right do so through their trust in God.
Behold, the soul of him that is puffed up shall not be at ease; But the just shall live by his faithfulness.
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)
Behold, the man of wine is outrageous; The proud man remaineth not at rest; He enlargeth his desire as the grave; He is as death, and cannot be satisfied; He gathereth to himself all the nations, And collecteth to himself all the kingdoms. (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 of them utter a song against him, Yea, songs of reproach and derision concerning him? And say, Woe to him that heapeth up that which belongeth not to him! For how long a time? That ladeth himself with goods taken in pledge!
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!
Shall not they suddenly rise up that will oppress thee, And awake, that will harass thee? Yea, thou shalt be their booty.
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 plundered many kingdoms, All the residue of the nations shall plunder thee: For the blood of men, and for violence against the land, Against the city and all its inhabitants.
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 procureth unjust gain for his house, That he may set his nest on high, That he may be delivered from the evil hand!
10 Your evil schemes have brought shame upon your families, by destroying many nations you have forfeited your own lives.
Thou hast devised shame for thine house; By destroying many nations, thou hast brought ruin upon thyself.
11 Even the stones in the wall cry out in condemnation, and the wooden rafters join in too.
For the stone from the wall crieth out, And the beam from the timber answereth it.
12 What disaster is coming to you who build cities with bloodshed, who found cities built on wickedness!
Woe to him that buildeth a town by blood, And establisheth a city by iniquity!
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?
Behold, it is determined by Jehovah of hosts, That nations shall labor for the fire, And kingdoms weary themselves for naught.
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 Jehovah, As the waters cover the sea.
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 who giveth his neighbor drink; Who poureth out the strong wine, and maketh him drunken, That he may look upon his nakedness!
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.
Thou shalt be filled with shame instead of glory; Drink thou also, and show thy foreskin! To thee shall come the cup in the right hand of Jehovah, And foul shame shall be 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 violence done to Lebanon shall cover thee, And the destruction of the beasts which made them afraid, On account of the blood of men, and violence against the land, Against the city and all its inhabitants.
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 profiteth the graven image, When the maker hath graven it? Or the molten image, and the teacher of lies, That the artificer trusteth in his work, When he maketh 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 who saith to the wood, Awake! To the dumb stone, Arise! Will it teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, And there is no breath within it.
20 But the Lord is in his holy Temple; let all the earth be silent in his presence.
But Jehovah is in his Holy temple; Be silent before him, all the earth!
