Habakkuk 2

1 I will stand at my watch and set myself on the ramparts, and will look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning 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 The LORD answered me, “Write the vision, and make it plain on tablets, that he who runs may read it.

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 the appointed time, and it hurries towards the end, and won’t prove false. Though it takes time, wait for it, because it will surely come. It won’t delay.

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 Behold, his soul is puffed up. It is not upright in him, 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 Yes, moreover, wine is treacherous: an arrogant man who doesn’t stay at home, who enlarges his desire as Sheol; he is like death and can’t be satisfied, but gathers to himself all nations and heaps to himself all 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 Won’t all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, ‘Woe to him who increases that which is not his, and who enriches himself by extortion! How long?’

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 Won’t your debtors rise up suddenly, and wake up those who make you tremble, and you will be their victim?

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 nations, all the remnant of the peoples will plunder you because of men’s blood, and for the violence done to the land, to the city and to all who dwell in it.

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 him who gets an evil gain for his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered 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 to your house by cutting off many peoples, and have sinned against your soul.

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

11 For the stone will cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the woodwork will answer it.

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

12 Woe to him who builds a town with blood, and establishes a city by iniquity!

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

13 Behold, isn’t it from the LORD of Armies that the peoples labour for the fire, and the nations weary themselves for vanity?

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

14 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD’s glory, 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 him who gives his neighbour drink, pouring your inflaming wine until they are drunk, so that you may gaze at their naked bodies!

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

16 You are filled with shame, and not glory. You will also drink and be exposed! The cup of the LORD’s right hand will come 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 dishonour has gathered upon your glory.

17 For the violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, and the destruction of the animals will terrify you, because of men’s blood and for the violence done to the land, to every city and to those who dwell 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 value does the engraved image have, that its maker has engraved it; the molten image, even the teacher of lies, that he who fashions its form trusts in it, to make mute idols?

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 him who says to the wood, ‘Awake!’ or to the mute stone, ‘Arise!’ Shall this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and 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 the LORD is in his holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before him!”

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