Habakkuk 2

1 On my charge I stand, and I station myself on a bulwark, and I watch to see what He speaks against me, and what I reply to my reproof.

I will stand at my watch and set myself on the ramparts, and will look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint.

2 And YHWH answers me and says: “Write a vision, and explain on the tablets, That he may run who is reading it.

The LORD answered me, “Write the vision, and make it plain on tablets, that he who runs may read it.

3 For yet the vision [is] for a season, And it breathes for the end, and does not lie, If it lingers, wait for it, For surely it comes, it is not late.

For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it hurries towards the end, and won’t prove false. Though it takes time, wait for it, because it will surely come. It won’t delay.

4 Behold, a presumptuous one! His soul is not upright within him, And the righteous lives by his faith.

Behold, his soul is puffed up. It is not upright in him, but the righteous will live by his faith.

5 And also, because the wine [is] treacherous, A man is haughty, and does not remain at home, Who has enlarged his soul as Sheol, And is as death that is not satisfied, And gathers to itself all the nations, And assembles to itself all the peoples, (Sheol h7585)

Yes, moreover, wine is treacherous: an arrogant man who doesn’t stay at home, who enlarges his desire as Sheol; he is like death and can’t be satisfied, but gathers to himself all nations and heaps to himself all peoples. (Sheol h7585)

6 Are these not—all of them—an allegory taken up against him, And a moral of acute sayings for him, And say, Woe [to] him who is multiplying [what is] not his? Until when also is he multiplying to himself heavy pledges?

Won’t all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, ‘Woe to him who increases that which is not his, and who enriches himself by extortion! How long?’

7 Do your usurers not instantly rise up, And those shaking you awake, And you have been a spoil to them?

Won’t your debtors rise up suddenly, and wake up those who make you tremble, and you will be their victim?

8 Because you have spoiled many nations, All the remnant of the peoples spoil you, Because of man’s blood, and of violence [to] the land, [To] the city, and [to] all dwelling in it.

Because you have plundered many nations, all the remnant of the peoples will plunder you because of men’s blood, and for the violence done to the land, to the city and to all who dwell in it.

9 Woe [to] him who is gaining evil gain for his house, To set his nest on high, To be delivered from the hand of evil,

Woe to him who gets an evil gain for his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the hand of evil!

10 You have counseled a shameful thing to your house, To cut off many peoples, and your soul [is] sinful.

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

11 For a stone cries out from the wall, And a beam from the wood answers it.

For the stone will cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the woodwork will answer it.

12 Woe [to] him who is building a city by blood, And establishing a city by iniquity.

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

13 Behold, is it not from YHWH of Hosts And peoples are fatigued for fire, And nations for vanity are weary?

Behold, isn’t it from the LORD of Armies that the peoples labour for the fire, and the nations weary themselves for vanity?

14 For the earth is full of the knowledge of the glory of YHWH, As the waters cover over a sea.

For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD’s glory, as the waters cover the sea.

15 Woe [to] him who is giving drink to his neighbor, Pouring out your bottle, and also making drunk, In order to look on their nakedness.

“Woe to him who gives his neighbour drink, pouring your inflaming wine until they are drunk, so that you may gaze at their naked bodies!

16 You have been filled—shame without honor, Drink also, and be uncircumcised, Turn around to you does the cup of the right hand of YHWH, And shameful spewing [is] on your glory.

You are filled with shame, and not glory. You will also drink and be exposed! The cup of the LORD’s right hand will come around to you, and disgrace will cover your glory.

17 For violence [done to] Lebanon covers you, And spoil of beasts frightens them, Because of man’s blood, and of violence [to] the land, [To] the city, and [to] all dwelling in it.

For the violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, and the destruction of the animals will terrify you, because of men’s blood and for the violence done to the land, to every city and to those who dwell in them.

18 What profit has a carved image given That its former has hewn it? A molten image and teacher of falsehood, That the former has trusted on his own formation—to make mute idols?

“What value does the engraved image have, that its maker has engraved it; the molten image, even the teacher of lies, that he who fashions its form trusts in it, to make mute idols?

19 Woe [to] him who is saying to wood, Awake, To a mute stone, Stir up, It [is] a teacher! Behold, it is overlaid—gold and silver, And there is no spirit in its midst.

Woe to him who says to the wood, ‘Awake!’ or to the mute stone, ‘Arise!’ Shall this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all within it.

20 And YHWH [is] in His holy temple, Be silent before Him, all the earth!”

But the LORD is in his holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before him!”