Habakkuk 1

1 The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.

The burden which the prophet Ambacum saw.

2 O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear? I cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save.

How long, O Lord, shall I cry out, and you will not listen? [how long] shall I cry out to you being injured, and you will not save?

3 Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and look upon perverseness? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there is strife, and contention riseth up.

Therefore have you shown me troubles and griefs to look upon, misery and ungodliness? judgement is before me, and the judge receives a reward.

4 Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore judgment goeth forth perverted.

Therefore the law is frustrated, and judgement proceeds not effectually, for the ungodly [man] prevails over the just; therefore perverse judgement will proceed.

5 Behold ye among the nations, and regard, and wonder marvelously: for I work a work in your days, which ye will not believe though it be told you.

Behold, you despisers, and look, and wonder marvellously, and vanish: for I work a work in your days, which you will in no wise believe, though a man declare [it to you].

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

Therefore, behold, I stir up the Chaldeans, the bitter and hasty nation, that walks upon the breadth of the earth, to inherit tabernacles not his own.

7 They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity proceed from themselves.

He is terrible and famous; his judgement shall proceed of himself, and his dignity shall come out of himself.

8 Their horses also are swifter than leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves; and their horsemen spread themselves: yea, their horsemen come from far; they fly as an eagle that hasteth to devour.

And his horses shall bound [more swiftly] than leopards, and [they are] fiercer than the wolves of Arabia: and his horsemen shall ride forth, and shall rush from far; and they shall fly as an eagle hasting to eat.

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

Destruction shall come upon ungodly men, resisting with their adverse front, and he shall gather the captivity as the sand.

10 Yea, he scoffeth at kings, and princes are a derision unto him: he derideth every strong hold; for he heapeth up dust, and taketh it.

And he shall be at his ease with kings, and princes are his toys, and he shall mock at every strong-hold, and shall cast a mound, and take possession of it.

11 Then shall he sweep by [as] a wind, and shall pass over, and be guilty: [even] he whose might is his god.

Then shall he change his spirit, and he shall pass through, and make an atonement, [saying], This strength [belongs] to my god.

12 Art not thou from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained him for judgment; and thou, O Rock, hast established him for correction.

[Are] not you from the beginning, O Lord God, my Holy One? and surely we shall not die. O Lord, you have established it for judgement, and he has formed me to chasten [with] his correction.

13 Thou that art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and that canst not look on perverseness, wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy peace when the wicked swalloweth up the man that is more righteous than he;

[His] eye is too pure to behold evil [doings], and to look upon grievous afflictions: therefore do you look upon despisers? will you be silent when the ungodly swallows up the just?

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

And will you make men as the fishes of the sea, and as the reptiles which have no guide?

15 He taketh up all of them with the angle, he catcheth them in his net, and gathereth them in his drag: therefore he rejoiceth and is glad.

He has brought up destruction with a hook, and drawn one with a casting net, and caught another in his drags: therefore shall his heart rejoice and be glad.

16 Therefore he sacrificeth unto his net, and burneth incense unto his drag; because by them his portion is fat, and his meat plenteous.

Therefore will he sacrifice to his drag, and burn incense to his casting-net, because by them he has made his portion fat, and his meats choice.

17 Shall he therefore empty his net, and not spare to slay the nations continually?

Therefore will he cast his net, and will not spare to kill the nations continually.