Habakkuk 1
1 The birthun that Abacuk, the profete, sai.
The prophecy which was revealed to the prophet Habakkuk.
2 Hou longe, Lord, schal Y crye, and thou schalt not here? Y suffrynge violence schal crie an hiy to thee, and thou schalt not saue?
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 Whi schewidist thou to me wickidnesse and trauel, for to se prey and vnriytwisnesse ayens me? Whi biholdist thou dispiseris, and art stille, the while an vnpitouse man defoulith a riytfulere than hym silf? And thou schalt make men as fischis of the see, and as crepynge thingis not hauynge a ledere; and doom is maad, and ayenseiyng is more miyti.
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 For this thing lawe is `to-brokun, and doom cometh not til to the ende; for the vnpitouse man hath miyt ayens the iust, therfor weiward doom schal go out.
Therefore the law faileth, And judgment is not pronounced according to truth; For the wicked encompasseth the righteous, Therefore wrong judgment is pronounced.
5 Biholde ye in hethene men, and se ye, and wondre ye, and greetli drede ye; for a werk is doon in youre daies, which no man schal bileue, whanne it schal be teld.
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! Y schal reise Caldeis, a bittir folk and swift, goynge on the breede of erthe, that he welde tabernaclis not hise.
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 It is orible, and dredeful; the dom and birthun therof schal go out of it silf.
They are terrible and dreadful; From themselves go forth their law and their dignity.
8 His horsis ben liytere than pardis, and swifter than euentyd woluys, and hise horse men schulen be scaterid abrood; for whi `horse men schulen come fro fer, thei schulen fle as an egle hastynge to ete.
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 Alle men schulen come to preye, the faces of hem is as a brennynge wynd; and he schal gadere as grauel caitifte,
All of them come for violence; The multitude of their faces is directed forwards, And they gather captives as sand.
10 and he schal haue victorie of kyngis, and tirauntis schulen be of his scornyng. He schal leiye on al strengthe, and schal bere togidere heep of erthe, and schal 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 Thanne the spirit schal be chaungid, and he schal passe forth, and falle doun; this is the strengthe of hym, of his god.
Then their spirit is uplifted, and they transgress, and become guilty; This their strength is made their god.
12 Whether `thou, Lord, art not my God, myn hooli, and we schulen not die? Lord, in to doom thou hast set hym, and thou groundidist hym strong, that thou schuldist chastise.
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 Thin iyen ben clene, se thou not yuel, and thou schalt not mowe biholde to wickidnesse. Whi biholdist thou not on men doynge wickidli, and thou art stille, while the vnpitouse man deuourith a more iust man than hymsilf?
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 thou schalt make men as fischis of the see, and as a crepynge thing not hauynge prince.
And why makest thou men as the fishes of the sea, As the reptiles that have no ruler?
15 He schal lifte vp al in the hook; he drawide it in his greet net, and gaderide in to his net; on this thing he schal be glad, and make ioie with outforth.
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 Therfore he schal offere to his greet net, and schal make sacrifice to his net; for in hem his part is maad fat, and his mete is chosun.
Therefore they sacrifice to their net, And burn incense to their drag; Because by them their portion is fat, And their food plenteous.
17 Therfor for this thing he spredith abrood his greet net, and euere more he ceesith not for to sle folkis.
Shall they therefore empty the net, And slay the nations continually without mercy?
