Habakkuk 2

1 I will stand upon my watch, and station myself upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say to me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.

I will stand on my watch-tower, And set myself on the bulwark, And watch to see what he will say to me, And what I shall answer to my expostulation.

2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tablets, that he may run that readeth it.

And Jehovah answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tablets, That he may run that readeth it.

3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it may tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

For the vision is yet for an appointed time, But it hasteneth to the end; it shall not deceive; If it tarry, wait for it; For it shall surely come; it shall not long delay.

4 Behold, his soul who is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

Behold, the soul of him that is puffed up shall not be at ease; But the just shall live by his faithfulness.

5 Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth to him all nations, and heapeth to him all people: (Sheol h7585)

Behold, the man of wine is outrageous; The proud man remaineth not at rest; He enlargeth his desire as the grave; He is as death, and cannot be satisfied; He gathereth to himself all the nations, And collecteth to himself all the kingdoms. (Sheol h7585)

6 Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay!

Shall not all of them utter a song against him, Yea, songs of reproach and derision concerning him? And say, Woe to him that heapeth up that which belongeth not to him! For how long a time? That ladeth himself with goods taken in pledge!

7 Shall they not rise suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall oppress thee, and thou shalt be for booty to them?

Shall not they suddenly rise up that will oppress thee, And awake, that will harass thee? Yea, thou shalt be their booty.

8 Because thou hast laid waste many nations, all the remnant of the people shall lay thee waste; because of men’s blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell in it.

Because thou hast plundered many kingdoms, All the residue of the nations shall plunder thee: For the blood of men, and for violence against the land, Against the city and all its inhabitants.

9 Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil!

Woe to him that procureth unjust gain for his house, That he may set his nest on high, That he may be delivered from the evil hand!

10 Thou gavest shameful counsel to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul.

Thou hast devised shame for thine house; By destroying many nations, thou hast brought ruin upon thyself.

11 For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it.

For the stone from the wall crieth out, And the beam from the timber answereth it.

12 Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and establisheth a city by iniquity!

Woe to him that buildeth a town by blood, And establisheth a city by iniquity!

13 Behold, is it not from the LORD of hosts that the people shall labour only for fire, and the people shall weary themselves for nothing?

Behold, it is determined by Jehovah of hosts, That nations shall labor for the fire, And kingdoms weary themselves for naught.

14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Jehovah, As the waters cover the sea.

15 Woe to him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunk also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!

Woe to him who giveth his neighbor drink; Who poureth out the strong wine, and maketh him drunken, That he may look upon his nakedness!

16 Thou art filled with shame for glory: drink thou also, and let thy shame come upon thee: the cup of the LORD’S right hand shall be turned to thee, and utter shame shall be on thy glory.

Thou shalt be filled with shame instead of glory; Drink thou also, and show thy foreskin! To thee shall come the cup in the right hand of Jehovah, And foul shame shall be upon thy glory.

17 For the violence of Lebanon shall cover thee, and the spoil of beasts, which made them afraid, because of men’s blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell in it.

For the violence done to Lebanon shall cover thee, And the destruction of the beasts which made them afraid, On account of the blood of men, and violence against the land, Against the city and all its inhabitants.

18 What profiteth the graven image that its maker hath engraved it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth in it, to make dumb idols?

What profiteth the graven image, When the maker hath graven it? Or the molten image, and the teacher of lies, That the artificer trusteth in his work, When he maketh dumb idols?

19 Woe to him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all within it.

Woe to him who saith to the wood, Awake! To the dumb stone, Arise! Will it teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, And there is no breath within it.

20 But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.

But Jehovah is in his Holy temple; Be silent before him, all the earth!