Habakkuk 1

1 The burden which Habakkuk the prophet saw.

The prophecy which was revealed to the prophet Habakkuk.

2 O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! [even] cry out to thee [of] violence, and thou wilt not save!

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!

3 Why dost thou show me iniquity, and cause [me] to behold grievance? for devastation and violence [are] before me: and there are [that] raise strife and contention.

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.

4 Therefore the law is slackened, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth encompass the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.

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

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

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.

6 For lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, [that] bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwelling-places [that are] not theirs.

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.

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

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

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

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.

9 They shall come all for violence: their faces shall sup up [as] the east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the sand.

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

10 And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a scorn to them: they shall deride every strong hold; for they shall heap dust, and take it.

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.

11 Then shall [his] mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend, [imputing] this his power to his god.

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

12 [Art] thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction.

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.

13 [Thou art] of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: why lookest thou on them that deal treacherously, [and] keepest silence when the wicked devoureth [the man that is] more righteous than he?

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?

14 And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping animals [that have] no ruler over them?

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

15 They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: therefore they rejoice and are glad.

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.

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

17 Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations?

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