Habakkuk 2

1 I will stand at my guard post and station myself on the watchtower, and I will watch carefully to see what he will say to me and how I should turn from my complaint.

I will stand upon my watch, and mount upon the rock, and watch to see what he will say by me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.

2 Yahweh answered me and said, “Record this vision, and write plainly on the tablets so that the one reading them might run.

And the Lord answered me and said, Write the vision, and [that] plainly on a tablet, that he that reads it may run.

3 For the vision is yet for a future time and will finally speak and not fail. Though it delays, wait for it. For it will surely come and will not tarry.

For the vision [is] yet for a time, and it shall shoot forth at the end, and not in vain: though he should wait, wait for him; for he will surely come, and will not wait.

4 Look! The one whose desires are not right within him is puffed up. But the righteous will live by his faith.

If he should draw back, my soul has no pleasure in him: but the just shall live by my faith.

5 For wine is a betrayer of the arrogant young man so that he will not abide, but enlarges his desire like the grave and, like death, is never satisfied. He gathers to himself every nation and gathers up for himself all of the peoples. (Sheol h7585)

But the arrogant man and the scorner, the boastful man, shall not finish anything; who has enlarged his desire as the grave, and like death he is never satisfied, and he will gather to himself all the nations, and will receive to himself all the peoples. (Sheol h7585)

6 Will not all these create a saying to ridicule him and a taunting song about him, saying, 'Woe to the one increasing what is not his! For how long will you increase the weight of the pledges you have taken?'

Shall not all these take up a parable against him? and a proverb to tell against him? and they shall say, Woe to him that multiplies to himself the possessions which are not his! how long? and who heavily loads his yoke.

7 Will the ones biting at you not rise up suddenly, and the ones terrifying you awaken? You will become a victim for them.

For suddenly there shall arise up those that bite him, and they that plot against you shall awake, and you shall be a plunder to them.

8 Because you have plundered many peoples, all the remnant of the peoples will plunder you. For you have shed human blood and acted with violence against the land, the cities, and all who live in them.

Because you have spoiled many nations, all the nations that are left shall spoil [you], because of the blood of men, and the sins of the land and city, and of all that dwell in it.

9 'Woe to the one who carves out evil gains for his house, so he can set his nest on high to keep himself safe from the hand of evil.'

Woe to him that covets an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evils.

10 You have devised shame for your house by cutting off many people, and have sinned against yourself.

You have devised shame to your house, you have utterly destroyed many nations, and your soul has sinned.

11 For the stones will cry out from the wall, and the rafters of timber will answer them,

For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beetle out of the timber shall speak.

12 'Woe to the one who builds a city with blood, and who establishes a town in iniquity.'

Woe to him that builds a city with blood, and establishes a city by unrighteousness.

13 Is it not from Yahweh of hosts that peoples labor for fire and all the other nations weary themselves for nothing?

Are not these things of the Lord Almighty? surely many people have been exhausted in the fire, and many nations have fainted.

14 Yet the land will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Yahweh as the waters cover the sea.

For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord; it shall cover them as water.

15 'Woe to the one who forces his neighbors to drink— you express your anger over and you make them drunk in order to look at their nakedness.'

Woe to him that gives his neighbor to drink the thick lees [of wine], and intoxicates [him], that he may look upon their secret parts.

16 You will be filled with shame instead of glory. Now it is your turn! Drink, and you will expose your uncircumcised foreskin! The cup in Yahweh's right hand is coming around to you, and disgrace will cover your glory.

Drink you also [your] fill of disgrace instead of glory: shake, O heart, and quake, the cup of the right hand of the Lord has come round upon you, and dishonor has gathered upon your glory.

17 The violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you and the destruction of animals will terrify you. For you have shed human blood and you have acted with violence against the land, the cities, and all who live in them.

For the ungodliness of Libanus shall cover you, and distress because of wild beasts shall dismay you, because of the blood of men, and the sins of the land and city, and of all that dwell in it.

18 What does the carved figure profit you? For the one who has carved it, or who casts a figure from molten metal, is a teacher of lies; for he trusts his own handiwork when he makes these mute gods.

What profit it the graven image, that they have graven it? [one] has made it a molten work, a false image; for the maker has trusted in his work, to make dumb idols.

19 'Woe to the one saying to the wood, Wake up! Or to the silent stone, Arise!' Do these things teach? See, it is overlaid with gold and silver, but there is no breath at all within it.

Woe to him that says to the wood, Awake, arise; and to the stone, Be you exalted! whereas it is an image, and this is a casting of gold and silver, and there is no breath in it.

20 But Yahweh is in his holy temple! Be silent before him, all the land.”

But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth fear before him.