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.
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 answered me, and sayde, Write the vision, and make it plaine vpon tables, that he may runne that readeth 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 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.
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 Beholde, he that lifteth vp himselfe, his minde is not vpright in him, but the iust shall liue by his fayth,
The strength of the proud fails, but the upright lives by their faithfulness.
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)
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 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?
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 rise vp suddenly, that shall bite thee? and awake, that shall stirre thee? and thou shalt be their praye?
Won’t your creditors suddenly rise, and those who will overthrow you awake, and you become their prey?
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.
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 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 you who seeks unjust gain for your dynasty, who sets your nest on high to be safe from the reach of misfortune!
10 Thou hast consulted shame to thine owne house, by destroying many people, and hast sinned against thine owne soule.
You have planned only shame for your dynasty. You have destroyed many peoples, and brought guilt upon yourself;
11 For the stone shall crie out of the wall, and the beame out of the timber shall answere it.
the stone will cry out from the wall, and the beam from the timber will answer it.
12 Wo vnto him that buildeth a towne with blood, and erecteth a citie by iniquitie.
Woe to the person who builds a city by bloodshed, and founds a town by crime
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.
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 with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters couer 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 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 in fury gives drink to his neighbor to make him drunk, and see him naked.
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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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: let all the earth keepe silence before him.
The Lord is in his holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before him!
