Habakkuk 1

1 The oracle which Habakkuk the prophet saw.

THE BURDEN which Habakkuk the prophet did see.

2 LORD, how long will I cry, and you will not hear? I cry out to you "Violence." and will you not save?

How long, O LORD, shall I cry, and Thou wilt not hear? I cry out unto Thee of violence, and Thou wilt not save.

3 Why do you show me iniquity, and look at perversity? For destruction and violence are before me. There is strife, and contention rises up.

Why dost Thou show me iniquity, and beholdest mischief? And why are spoiling and violence before me? so that there is strife, and contention ariseth.

4 Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth; for the wicked surround the righteous; therefore justice goes forth perverted.

Therefore the law is slacked, and right doth never go forth; for the wicked doth beset the righteous; therefore right goeth forth perverted.

5 "Look, you scoffers, and watch, and be utterly amazed, and perish; for I am working a work in your days which you will not believe, though it is told you.

Look ye among the nations, and behold, and wonder marvellously; for, behold, a work shall be wrought in your days, which ye will not believe though it be told you.

6 For, look, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, that march through the breadth of the earth, to possess dwelling places not his own.

For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and impetuous nation, that march through the breadth of the earth, to possess dwelling-places that are not theirs.

7 He is feared and dreaded. His judgment will be from himself, and his authority will come from himself.

They are terrible and dreadful; their law and their majesty proceed from themselves.

8 His horses also are swifter than leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves. And their horsemen press proudly on, and, their horsemen come from afar. They fly as an eagle that hurries to devour.

Their horses also are swifter than leopards, and are more fierce than the wolves of the desert; and their horsemen spread themselves; yea, their horsemen come from far, they fly as a vulture that hasteth to devour.

9 All of them come for violence. Their hordes face the desert. He gathers prisoners like sand.

They come all of them for violence; their faces are set eagerly as the east wind; and they gather captives as the sand.

10 And he will scoff at kings and deride rulers. He laughs at every stronghold, for he builds up an earthen ramp, and takes it.

And they scoff at kings, and princes are a derision unto them; they deride every stronghold, for they heap up earth, and take it.

11 Then he sweeps by like the wind, and goes on. He is indeed guilty, whose strength is his god."

Then their spirit doth pass over and transgress, and they become guilty: even they who impute their might unto their god.

12 Aren't you from everlasting, LORD my God, my Holy One? We will not die. LORD, you have appointed him for judgment. You, Rock, have established him to punish.

Art not Thou from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O LORD, Thou hast ordained them for judgment, and Thou, O Rock, hast established them for correction.

13 You who have purer eyes than to see evil, and who cannot look on perversity, why do you tolerate those who deal treacherously, and keep silent when the wicked swallows up the man who is more righteous than he,

Thou that art of eyes too pure to behold evil, and that canst not look on mischief, wherefore lookest Thou, when they deal treacherously, and holdest Thy peace, when the wicked swalloweth up the man that is more righteous than he;

14 and make men like the fish of the sea, like the crawling creatures, that have no ruler over them?

And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?

15 He takes up all of them with the hook, and he catches them in his net and gathers them in his dragnet. Therefore he rejoices and is glad.

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

16 Therefore he sacrifices to his net, and burns incense to his dragnet, because by them his life is luxurious, and his food is good.

Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and offer unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their food plenteous.

17 Will he therefore continually empty his net, killing the nations without mercy?

Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare to slay the nations continually?