Habakkuk 1

1 The burden, which Habakkuk the Prophet did see.

The prophecy which was revealed to the prophet Habakkuk.

2 O Lord, howe long shall I crye, and thou wilt not heare! euen crye out vnto thee for violence, and thou wilt not helpe!

How long, O Jehovah, do I cry, and thou dost not hear! How long do I complain to thee of violence, and thou dost not save!

3 Why doest thou shewe mee iniquitie, and cause me to beholde sorowe? for spoyling, and violence are before me: and there are that rayse vp strife and contention.

Why dost thou suffer me to see iniquity, And why dost thou look upon wickedness? For spoiling and violence are before me; There is contention, and strife exalteth itself.

4 Therefore the Lawe is dissolued, and iudgement doeth neuer go forth: for the wicked doeth compasse about the righteous: therefore wrong iudgement proceedeth.

Therefore the law faileth, And judgment is not pronounced according to truth; For the wicked encompasseth the righteous, Therefore wrong judgment is pronounced.

5 Beholde among the heathen, and regarde, and wonder, and maruaile: for I will worke a worke in your dayes: yee will not beleeue it, though it be tolde you.

Behold ye among the nations, and look! Yea, wonder, and be astonished! For I do a work in your days Which ye will not believe though it be told you.

6 For lo, I raise vp the Caldeans, that bitter and furious nation, which shall goe vpon the breadth of the lande to possesse the dwelling places, that are not theirs.

For behold, I raise up the Chaldeans, A fierce and swift people, Which go over the breadth of the earth, To take possession of dwelling-places that are not their own.

7 They are terrible and fearefull: their iudgement and their dignitie shall proceede of theselues.

They are terrible and dreadful; From themselves go forth their law and their dignity.

8 Their horses also are swifter then the leopards, and are more fierce then the wolues in the euening: and their horsemen are many: and their horsemen shall come from farre: they shall flie as the eagle hasting to meate.

Their horses are swifter than leopards, And fiercer than evening wolves. Their horsemen leap proudly; Their horsemen come from far; They fly like an eagle, hastening to devour.

9 They come all to spoyle: before their faces shalbe an Eastwinde, and they shall gather the captiuitie, as the sand.

All of them come for violence; The multitude of their faces is directed forwards, And they gather captives as sand.

10 And they shall mocke the Kings, and the princes shalbe a skorne vnto them: they shall deride euery strong holde: for they shall gather dust, and take it.

They also scoff at kings, And princes are to them a laughing-stock; They deride every stronghold, For they heap up earth and take it.

11 Then shall they take a courage, and transgresse and doe wickedly, imputing this their power vnto their god.

Then their spirit is uplifted, and they transgress, and become guilty; This their strength is made their god.

12 Art thou not of olde, O Lord my God, mine holy one? we shall not die: O Lord, thou hast ordeined them for iudgement, and O God, thou hast established them for correction.

Art thou not from everlasting, O Jehovah, my God, my Holy One? We shall not die! Thou, O Jehovah, hast appointed them for judgment; Thou, O Rock, hast ordained them for chastisement.

13 Thou art of pure eyes, and canst not see euill: thou canst not behold wickednesse: wherefore doest thou looke vpon the transgressors, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked deuoureth the man, that is more righteous then he?

Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, And canst not look on wickedness; Why then dost thou look on transgressors, And art silent, when the wicked swalloweth up the man that is more righteous than he?

14 And makest men as the fishes of the sea, and as the creeping things, that haue no ruler ouer them.

And why makest thou men as the fishes of the sea, As the reptiles that have no ruler?

15 They take vp all with the angle: they catch it in their net, and gather it in their yarne, whereof they reioyce and are glad.

They take up all of them with the hook, They catch them in their net, And gather them in their drag; Therefore they rejoice and exult.

16 Therefore they sacrifice vnto their net, and burne incense vnto their yarne, because by them their portion is fat and their meat plenteous.

Therefore they sacrifice to their net, And burn incense to their drag; Because by them their portion is fat, And their food plenteous.

17 Shall they therefore stretch out their net and not spare continually to slay the nations?

Shall they therefore empty the net, And slay the nations continually without mercy?