Habakkuk 2

1 I will take my stand on my watch-tower, and station myself on a turret. I will watch to see what the Lord will say to me, what answer he will make to my complaint.

I will stand at my guard post and station myself on the ramparts. I will watch to see what He will say to me, and how I should answer when corrected.

2 Then the Lord answered me and said: Inscribe the vision plainly on tablets, so that even someone running by could read it.

Then the LORD answered me: “Write down this vision and clearly inscribe it on tablets, so that a herald may run with it.

3 Though the vision waits for the time set, it hastens to fulfilment and will not fail; Though it linger long, wait for it. For it surely will come and will not be delayed.

For the vision awaits an appointed time; it testifies of the end and does not lie. Though it lingers, wait for it, since it will surely come and will not delay.

4 The strength of the proud fails, but the upright lives by their faithfulness.

Look at the proud one; his soul is not upright — but the righteous will live by faith —

5 Wealth is treacherous, the arrogant never have enough. They make their desire as wide as Sheol, are like death, unsatisfied, For they gather to themselves all the nations, bring together to themselves all peoples. (Sheol h7585)

and wealth indeed betrays him. He is an arrogant man never at rest. He enlarges his appetite like Sheol, and like Death, he is never satisfied. He gathers all the nations to himself and collects all the peoples as his own. (Sheol h7585)

6 Shouldn’t everyone mock them? sing a taunt-song against them, and say: Woe to the person who amasses what is not theirs, and loads them self down with goods taken in pledge!

Will not all of these take up a taunt against him, speaking with mockery and derision: ‘Woe to him who amasses what is not his and makes himself rich with many loans! How long will this go on?’

7 Won’t your creditors suddenly rise, and those who will overthrow you awake, and you become their prey?

Will not your creditors suddenly arise and those who disturb you awaken? Then you will become their prey.

8 For as you have plundered many peoples, the survivors will prey upon you. You have shed blood and committed violence to the earth, peoples and their cities.

Because you have plundered many nations, the remnant of the people will plunder you— because of your bloodshed against man and your violence against the land, the city, and all their dwellers.

9 Woe to you who seeks unjust gain for your dynasty, who sets your nest on high to be safe from the reach of misfortune!

Woe to him who builds his house by unjust gain, to place his nest on high and escape the hand of disaster!

10 You have planned only shame for your dynasty. You have destroyed many peoples, and brought guilt upon yourself;

You have plotted shame for your house by cutting off many peoples and forfeiting your life.

11 the stone will cry out from the wall, and the beam from the timber will answer it.

For the stones will cry out from the wall, and the rafters will echo it from the woodwork.

12 Woe to the person who builds a city by bloodshed, and founds a town by crime

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

13 while the peoples toil for what fires will consume, and the nations weary themselves for nothing! This the Lord of hosts has said,

Is it not indeed from the LORD of Hosts that the labor of the people only feeds the fire, and the nations weary themselves in vain?

14 and the earth will be as full of the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the seas are full of water.

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

15 Woe to him who in fury gives drink to his neighbor to make him drunk, and see him naked.

Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors, pouring it from the wineskin until they are drunk, in order to gaze at their nakedness!

16 You are filled with shame, not glory; drink yourself and be uncovered. The cup from the Lord’s hand will pass in turn to you, and shame will cover your glory!

You will be filled with shame instead of glory. You too must drink and expose your uncircumcision! The cup in the LORD’s right hand will come around to you, and utter disgrace will cover your glory.

17 For the violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, the destruction of animals will terrify you, because you shed people’s blood on the earth, destroyed people and their cities.

For your violence against Lebanon will overwhelm you, and the destruction of animals will terrify you, because of your bloodshed against men and your violence against the land, the city, and all their dwellers.

18 What use is an idol? A human made it, a metal image. It cannot speak, it cannot teach truth, Why does its maker trust it?

What use is an idol, that a craftsman should carve it— or an image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak.

19 Woe to the person who says to a block, awake! to a dumb stone, arise! What can it teach? It may be set with gold and silver, but there is no breath at all within it.

Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Awake!’ or to silent stone, ‘Arise!’ Can it give guidance? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, yet there is no breath in it at all.”

20 The Lord is in his holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before him!

But the LORD is in His holy temple; let all the earth be silent before Him.