Habakkuk 2

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

Upon my watch will I stand, and place myself upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will speak with me, and what I shall answer to my reproof.

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

And the Lord answered me, and said, Write down the vision, and make it plain upon the tables, that everyone may read it fluently.

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 there is yet a vision for the appointed time, and it speaketh of the end, and it will not deceive: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not be delayed.

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

Behold, disturbed, not at rest is the soul of [the wicked] in him; but the righteous ever liveth in his [trustful] faith.

5 Yes 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 collecteth to him all people: (Sheol h7585)

And though the wine-[drunken] traitor, the proud man, whose house will not stand, who enlargeth his desire as the grave, and is like death, which cannot be satisfied, —though he gather unto him all the nations, and assemble unto him all the people: (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!

Will not all these take up a parable against him, and a proverb and a satire concerning him? and they will say, Woe to him that increaseth what is not his! for how long? and to him that loadeth himself with a burden of guilt!

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

Behold, suddenly will rise up those that afflict thee, and awake those that plague thee, and thou shalt become a booty unto them.

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 therein.

Because thou hast despoiled many nations will all the remnant of the people despoil thee; because of the blood of men, and the violence against the land, the town, and all that dwell therein.

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 obtaineth an evil gain for his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the grasp of the wicked!

10 Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned [against] thy soul.

Thou hast counselled shame to thy house, by cutting off many people, and sinning [against] thy soul.

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

For the stone will cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the wood [-work] will answer it.

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

Woe to him that buildeth a city with blood-guiltiness, and layeth the foundation of a town by wrong-doing.

13 Behold, [is it] not from the LORD of hosts that the people shall labor in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity?

Behold, is it not from the Lord of hosts that people shall labor for the very fire, and nations shall weary themselves for naught but vanity!

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 knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.

15 Woe to him that giveth his neighbor drink, that puttest thy bottle to [him], and makest [him] drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!

Woe unto him that maketh his neighbors drink, [to thee] that pourest out thy poisonous [wine], and makest them also drunken, in order to look on their nakedness!

16 Thou art filled with shame for glory: drink thou also, and let thy foreskin be uncovered: the cup of the LORD'S right hand shall be turned to thee, and shameful vomiting [shall be] on thy glory.

Thou art filled with shame instead of glory; drink thou also, and let thy nakedness be uncovered: there shall be turned around thee the cup of the Lord's right hand, and filthy spittle shall be on 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 therein.

For the violence against Lebanon shall cover thee, and the destruction of beasts, which he terrified away; because of the blood of men, and the violence against the land, the town, and all that dwell therein.

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

What profiteth the graven image that its maker hath graven it? the molten image, and a teacher of falsehood? that the maker of his image trusteth therein, while making 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 in the midst of it.

Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake! Rouse up to the dumb stone. Shall this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and no breath whatever is in its bosom.

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

But the Lord is in his holy temple: be silent before him all the earth.