Habakkuk 1

1 The prophecy which was revealed to the prophet Habakkuk.

The revelation which Habakkuk the prophet saw.

2 How long, O Jehovah, do I cry, and thou dost not hear! How long do I complain to thee of violence, and thou dost not save!

LORD, how long will I cry, and you will not hear? I cry out to you “Violence!” and will you not save?

3 Why dost thou suffer me to see iniquity, And why dost thou look upon wickedness? For spoiling and violence are before me; There is contention, and strife exalteth itself.

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

4 Therefore the law faileth, And judgment is not pronounced according to truth; For the wicked encompasseth the righteous, Therefore wrong judgment is pronounced.

Therefore the law is paralysed, and justice never prevails; for the wicked surround the righteous; therefore justice comes out perverted.

5 Behold ye among the nations, and look! Yea, wonder, and be astonished! For I do a work in your days Which ye will not believe though it be told you.

“Look amongst the nations, watch, and wonder marvellously; for I am working a work in your days which you will not believe though it is told you.

6 For behold, I raise up the Chaldeans, A fierce and swift people, Which go over the breadth of the earth, To take possession of dwelling-places that are not their own.

For, behold, I am raising up the Kasdim, that bitter and hasty nation who march through the width of the earth, to possess dwelling places that are not theirs.

7 They are terrible and dreadful; From themselves go forth their law and their dignity.

They are feared and dreaded. Their judgement and their dignity proceed from themselves.

8 Their horses are swifter than leopards, And fiercer than evening wolves. Their horsemen leap proudly; Their horsemen come from far; They fly like an eagle, hastening to devour.

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

9 All of them come for violence; The multitude of their faces is directed forwards, And they gather captives as sand.

All of them come for violence. Their hordes face forward. They gather prisoners like sand.

10 They also scoff at kings, And princes are to them a laughing-stock; They deride every stronghold, For they heap up earth and take it.

Yes, they scoff at kings, and princes are a derision to them. They laugh at every stronghold, for they build up an earthen ramp and take it.

11 Then their spirit is uplifted, and they transgress, and become guilty; This their strength is made their god.

Then they sweep by like the wind and go on. They are indeed guilty, whose strength is their god.”

12 Art thou not from everlasting, O Jehovah, my God, my Holy One? We shall not die! Thou, O Jehovah, hast appointed them for judgment; Thou, O Rock, hast ordained them for chastisement.

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

13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, And canst not look on wickedness; Why then dost thou look on transgressors, And art silent, when the wicked swalloweth up the man that is more righteous than he?

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,

14 And why makest thou men as the fishes of the sea, As the reptiles that have no ruler?

and make men like the fish of the sea, like the creeping things that have no ruler over them?

15 They take up all of them with the hook, They catch them in their net, And gather them in their drag; Therefore they rejoice and exult.

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

16 Therefore they sacrifice to their net, And burn incense to their drag; Because by them their portion is fat, And their food plenteous.

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

17 Shall they therefore empty the net, And slay the nations continually without mercy?

Will he therefore continually empty his net, and kill the nations without mercy?