Habakkuk 2

1 I will stand on my watch, and set me on the tower, and will watch to see what he will say to me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.

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 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain on tables, that he may run that reads it.

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 yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

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 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

Behold, the soul of him that is puffed up shall not be at ease; But the just shall live by his faithfulness.

5 Yes also, because he transgresses by wine, he is a proud man, neither keeps at home, who enlarges his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathers to him all nations, and heaps to him all people: (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 Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increases that which is not his! how long? and to him that lades himself with thick clay!

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 Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite you, and awake that shall vex you, and you shall be for booties to 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 spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil you; because of men’s blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein.

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 Woe to him that covets an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil!

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 You have consulted shame to your house by cutting off many people, and have sinned against your soul.

Thou hast devised shame for thine house; By destroying many nations, thou hast brought ruin upon thyself.

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

For the stone from the wall crieth out, And the beam from the timber answereth it.

12 Woe to him that builds a town with blood, and establishes a city by iniquity!

Woe to him that buildeth a town by blood, And establisheth a city by iniquity!

13 Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labor in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity?

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

For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Jehovah, As the waters cover the sea.

15 Woe to him that gives his neighbor drink, that put your bottle to him, and make him drunken also, that you may look on their nakedness!

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 You are filled with shame for glory: drink you also, and let your foreskin be uncovered: the cup of the LORD’s right hand shall be turned to you, and shameful spewing shall be on your glory.

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 For the violence of Lebanon shall cover you, and the spoil of beasts, which made them afraid, because of men’s blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein.

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 profits the graven image that the maker thereof has graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusts therein, to make dumb idols?

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 Woe to him that says to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the middle of 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 keep silence before him.

But Jehovah is in his Holy temple; Be silent before him, all the earth!