Habakkuk 2

1 I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will look out to see what He will speak by me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.

I will stand firm during my watch, and fix my position over the fortification. And I will observe carefully, to see what might be said to me and what I might respond to my opponent.

2 And the LORD answered me, and said: 'Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that a man may read it swiftly.

And the Lord responded to me and said: Write the vision and explain it on tablets, so that he who reads it may run through it.

3 For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it declareth of the end, and doth not lie; though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not delay.'

For as yet the vision is far off, and it will appear in the end, and it will not lie. If it expresses any delay, wait for it. For it is arriving and it will arrive, and it will not be hindered.

4 Behold, his soul is puffed up, it is not upright in him; but the righteous shall live by his faith.

Behold, he who is unbelieving, his soul will not be right within himself; but he who is just shall live in his faith.

5 Yea, moreover, wine is a treacherous dealer; the haughty man abideth not; he who enlargeth his desire as the nether-world, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all peoples. (Sheol h7585)

And in the manner that wine deceives the heavy drinker, so will the arrogant man be deceived, and he will not be honored. He has enlarged his life like hellfire, and himself like death, and he is never fulfilled. And he will gather to himself all nations, and he will amass for himself all peoples. (Sheol h7585)

6 Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting riddle against him, and say: 'Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and that ladeth himself with many pledges!'

Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and an enigmatic utterance about him? And it will be said, “Woe to him who increases what is not his own.” How long, then, will he lay down dense clay against himself?

7 Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall exact interest of thee, and awake that shall violently shake thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them?

Shall they not suddenly rise up, who would bite you, and be stirred up, who would tear you, so that you will be a prey for them?

8 Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the peoples shall spoil thee; because of men's blood, and for the violence done to the land, to the city and to all that dwell therein.

Because you have despoiled many peoples, all those who are left of the people shall despoil you, because of the blood of men, and the iniquity of the earth, of the city and all who dwell therein.

9 Woe to him that gaineth evil gains for his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil!

Woe to him who gathers together an evil greed for his house, so that his nest may be exalted, and thinking that he might free himself from the hand of evil.

10 Thou hast devised shame to thy house, by cutting off many peoples, and hast forfeited thy life.

You have devised confusion for your house, you have cut to pieces many peoples, and your soul has sinned.

11 For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it.

For the stone will cry out from the wall, and the wood that is between the joints of the building will respond.

12 Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and establisheth a city by iniquity!

Woe to him who builds a town with blood and prepares a city by iniquity.

13 Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts that the peoples labour for the fire, and the nations weary themselves for vanity?

Are not these things before the Lord of hosts? For the people will labor amid a great fire, and the nations will labor in emptiness, and they will fail.

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

For the earth shall be filled, that they might know the glory of the Lord, like the waters spreading over the sea.

15 Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy venom thereto, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!

Woe to anyone who gives a drink to a friend, releasing a drug and inebriating, so as to look upon their nakedness.

16 Thou art filled with shame instead of glory, drink thou also, and be uncovered; the cup of the LORD'S right hand shall be turned unto thee, and filthiness shall be upon thy glory.

You are filled with disgrace in place of glory. So then, drink and fall fast asleep, for the cup of the right hand of the Lord will surround you, and a disgraceful vomit will cover your glory.

17 For the violence done to Lebanon shall cover thee, and the destruction of the beasts, which made them afraid; because of men's blood, and for the violence done to the land, to the city and to all that dwell therein.

For the iniquity of Lebanon will cover you, and the devastation of animals which will deter them from the blood of men, and the iniquity of the earth and the city, and of all who dwell therein.

18 What profiteth the graven image, that the maker thereof hath graven it, even the molten image, and the teacher of lies; that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols?

Of what benefit is the graven image? For its maker has formed it, a molten and imaginary deception. For its maker has hoped in a figment of his own creation, so as to make a dumb likeness.

19 Woe unto him that saith to the wood: 'Awake', to the dumb stone: 'Arise!' Can this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it.

Woe to him who says to wood, “Awaken,” to the silent stone, “Arise.” Is it able to teach? Behold, it has been entirely covered with gold and silver; and there is no spirit at all in its inner workings.

20 But the LORD is in His holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before Him.

But the Lord is in his holy temple. May all the earth be silent before his face.