Habakkuk 2

1 I will stand vpon my watch, and set me vpon the towre, and wil looke and see what he would say vnto mee, and what I shall answere to him that rebuketh me.

On my charge I stand, and I station myself on a bulwark, and I watch to see what He speaks against me, and what I reply to my reproof.

2 And the Lord answered me, and sayde, Write the vision, and make it plaine vpon tables, that he may runne that readeth it.

And YHWH answers me and says: “Write a vision, and explain on the tablets, That he may run who is reading it.

3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the last it shall speake, and not lie: though it tarie, waite: for it shall surely come, and shall not stay.

For yet the vision [is] for a season, And it breathes for the end, and does not lie, If it lingers, wait for it, For surely it comes, it is not late.

4 Beholde, he that lifteth vp himselfe, his minde is not vpright in him, but the iust shall liue by his fayth,

Behold, a presumptuous one! His soul is not upright within him, And the righteous lives by his faith.

5 Yea, in deede the proude man is as hee that transgresseth by wine: therefore shall he not endure, because he hath enlarged his desire as the hell, and is as death, and can not be satisfied, but gathereth vnto him all nations, and heapeth vnto him all people. (Sheol h7585)

And also, because the wine [is] treacherous, A man is haughty, and does not remain at home, Who has enlarged his soul as Sheol, And is as death that is not satisfied, And gathers to itself all the nations, And assembles to itself all the peoples, (Sheol h7585)

6 Shall not all these take vp a parable against him, and a tanting prouerbe against him, and say, Ho, he that increaseth that which is not his? howe long? and hee that ladeth himselfe with thicke clay?

Are these not—all of them—an allegory taken up against him, And a moral of acute sayings for him, And say, Woe [to] him who is multiplying [what is] not his? Until when also is he multiplying to himself heavy pledges?

7 Shall they not rise vp suddenly, that shall bite thee? and awake, that shall stirre thee? and thou shalt be their praye?

Do your usurers not instantly rise up, And those shaking you awake, And you have been a spoil to them?

8 Because thou hast spoyled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoyle thee, because of mens blood, and for the wrong done in the land, in the citie, and vnto all that dwell therein.

Because you have spoiled many nations, All the remnant of the peoples spoil you, Because of man’s blood, and of violence [to] the land, [To] the city, and [to] all dwelling in it.

9 Ho, he that coueteth an euil couetousnesse to his house, that he may set his nest on hie, to escape from the power of euil.

Woe [to] him who is gaining evil gain for his house, To set his nest on high, To be delivered from the hand of evil,

10 Thou hast consulted shame to thine owne house, by destroying many people, and hast sinned against thine owne soule.

You have counseled a shameful thing to your house, To cut off many peoples, and your soul [is] sinful.

11 For the stone shall crie out of the wall, and the beame out of the timber shall answere it.

For a stone cries out from the wall, And a beam from the wood answers it.

12 Wo vnto him that buildeth a towne with blood, and erecteth a citie by iniquitie.

Woe [to] him who is building a city by blood, And establishing a city by iniquity.

13 Beholde, is it not of the Lord of hostes that the people shall labour in ye very fire? the people shall euen weary themselues for very vanitie.

Behold, is it not from YHWH of Hosts And peoples are fatigued for fire, And nations for vanity are weary?

14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters couer the sea.

For the earth is full of the knowledge of the glory of YHWH, As the waters cover over a sea.

15 Wo vnto him that giueth his neighbour drinke: thou ioynest thine heate, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest see their priuities.

Woe [to] him who is giving drink to his neighbor, Pouring out your bottle, and also making drunk, In order to look on their nakedness.

16 Thou art filled with shame for glorie: drinke thou also, and be made naked: the cup of the Lords right hand shall be turned vnto thee, and shamefull spuing shalbe for thy glory.

You have been filled—shame without honor, Drink also, and be uncircumcised, Turn around to you does the cup of the right hand of YHWH, And shameful spewing [is] on your glory.

17 For the crueltie of Lebanon shall couer thee: so shall the spoyle of the beastes, which made them afraide, because of mens blood, and for the wrong done in the land, in the citie, and vnto all that dwell therein.

For violence [done to] Lebanon covers you, And spoil of beasts frightens them, Because of man’s blood, and of violence [to] the land, [To] the city, and [to] all dwelling in it.

18 What profiteth the image? for the maker thereof hath made it an image, and a teacher of lies, though he that made it, trust therein, when he maketh dumme idoles.

What profit has a carved image given That its former has hewn it? A molten image and teacher of falsehood, That the former has trusted on his own formation—to make mute idols?

19 Wo vnto him that sayth to the wood, Awake, and to the dumme stone, Rise vp, it shall teach thee: beholde, it is layde ouer with golde and siluer, and there is no breath in it.

Woe [to] him who is saying to wood, Awake, To a mute stone, Stir up, It [is] a teacher! Behold, it is overlaid—gold and silver, And there is no spirit in its midst.

20 But the Lord is in his holy Temple: let all the earth keepe silence before him.

And YHWH [is] in His holy temple, Be silent before Him, all the earth!”