Habakkuk 1

1 The revelation which Habakkuk the prophet saw.

This is the burden that Habakkuk the prophet received in a vision:

2 LORD, how long will I cry, and you will not hear? I cry out to you “Violence!” and will you not save?

How long, O LORD, must I call for help but You do not hear, or cry out to You, “Violence!” but You do not save?

3 Why do you show me iniquity, and look at perversity? For destruction and violence are before me. There is strife, and contention rises up.

Why do You make me see iniquity? Why do You tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me. Strife is ongoing, and conflict abounds.

4 Therefore the law is paralysed, and justice never prevails; for the wicked surround the righteous; therefore justice comes out perverted.

Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.

5 “Look amongst the nations, watch, and wonder marvellously; for I am working a work in your days which you will not believe though it is told you.

“Look at the nations and observe— be utterly astounded! For I am doing a work in your days that you would never believe even if someone told you.

6 For, behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation who march through the width of the earth, to possess dwelling places that are not theirs.

For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans — that ruthless and impetuous nation which marches through the breadth of the earth to seize dwellings not their own.

7 They are feared and dreaded. Their judgement and their dignity proceed from themselves.

They are dreaded and feared; from themselves they derive justice and sovereignty.

8 Their horses also are swifter than leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves. Their horsemen press proudly on. Yes, their horsemen come from afar. They fly as an eagle that hurries to devour.

Their horses are swifter than leopards, fiercer than wolves of the night. Their horsemen charge ahead, and their cavalry comes from afar. They fly like a vulture, swooping down to devour.

9 All of them come for violence. Their hordes face forward. They gather prisoners like sand.

All of them come bent on violence; their hordes advance like the east wind; they gather prisoners like sand.

10 Yes, they scoff at kings, and princes are a derision to them. They laugh at every stronghold, for they build up an earthen ramp and take it.

They scoff at kings and make rulers an object of scorn. They laugh at every fortress and build up siege ramps to seize it.

11 Then they sweep by like the wind and go on. They are indeed guilty, whose strength is their god.”

Then they sweep by like the wind and pass on through. They are guilty; their own strength is their god.”

12 Aren’t you from everlasting, LORD my God, my Holy One? We will not die. LORD, you have appointed them for judgement. You, Rock, have established him to punish.

Are You not from everlasting, O LORD, my God, my Holy One? We will not die. O LORD, You have appointed them to execute judgment; O Rock, You have established them for correction.

13 You who have purer eyes than to see evil, and who cannot look on perversity, why do you tolerate those who deal treacherously and keep silent when the wicked swallows up the man who is more righteous than he,

Your eyes are too pure to look upon evil, and You cannot tolerate wrongdoing. So why do You tolerate the faithless? Why are You silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?

14 and make men like the fish of the sea, like the creeping things that have no ruler over them?

You have made men like the fish of the sea, like creeping things that have no ruler.

15 He takes up all of them with the hook. He catches them in his net and gathers them in his dragnet. Therefore he rejoices and is glad.

The foe pulls all of them up with a hook; he catches them in his dragnet, and gathers them in his fishing net; so he rejoices gladly.

16 Therefore he sacrifices to his net and burns incense to his dragnet, because by them his life is luxurious and his food is good.

Therefore he sacrifices to his dragnet and burns incense to his fishing net, for by these things his portion is sumptuous and his food is rich.

17 Will he therefore continually empty his net, and kill the nations without mercy?

Will he, therefore, empty his net and continue to slay nations without mercy?