Habakkuk 2

1 Upon my watch will I stand, and place myself upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will speak with me, and what I shall answer to my reproof.

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.

2 And the Lord answered me, and said, Write down the vision, and make it plain upon the tables, that everyone may read it fluently.

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

3 For there is yet a vision for the appointed time, and it speaketh of the end, and it will not deceive: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not be delayed.

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.

4 Behold, disturbed, not at rest is the soul of [the wicked] in him; but the righteous ever liveth in his [trustful] faith.

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

5 And though the wine-[drunken] traitor, the proud man, whose house will not stand, who enlargeth his desire as the grave, and is like death, which cannot be satisfied, —though he gather unto him all the nations, and assemble unto him all the people: (Sheol h7585)

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)

6 Will not all these take up a parable against him, and a proverb and a satire concerning him? and they will say, Woe to him that increaseth what is not his! for how long? and to him that loadeth himself with a burden of guilt!

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!

7 Behold, suddenly will rise up those that afflict thee, and awake those that plague thee, and thou shalt become a booty unto them.

Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite you, and awake that shall vex you, and you shall be for booties to them?

8 Because thou hast despoiled many nations will all the remnant of the people despoil thee; because of the blood of men, and the violence against the land, the town, and all that dwell therein.

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.

9 Woe to him that obtaineth an evil gain for his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the grasp of the wicked!

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!

10 Thou hast counselled shame to thy house, by cutting off many people, and sinning [against] thy soul.

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

11 For the stone will cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the wood [-work] will answer it.

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

12 Woe to him that buildeth a city with blood-guiltiness, and layeth the foundation of a town by wrong-doing.

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

13 Behold, is it not from the Lord of hosts that people shall labor for the very fire, and nations shall weary themselves for naught but vanity!

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?

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

15 Woe unto him that maketh his neighbors drink, [to thee] that pourest out thy poisonous [wine], and makest them also drunken, in order to look on their nakedness!

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!

16 Thou art filled with shame instead of glory; drink thou also, and let thy nakedness be uncovered: there shall be turned around thee the cup of the Lord's right hand, and filthy spittle shall be on thy glory.

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.

17 For the violence against Lebanon shall cover thee, and the destruction of beasts, which he terrified away; because of the blood of men, and the violence against the land, the town, and all that dwell therein.

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.

18 What profiteth the graven image that its maker hath graven it? the molten image, and a teacher of falsehood? that the maker of his image trusteth therein, while making dumb idols?

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?

19 Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake! Rouse up to the dumb stone. Shall this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and no breath whatever is in its bosom.

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.

20 But the Lord is in his holy temple: be silent before him all the earth.

But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.