Habakkuk 2
1 On my kepyng Y schal stonde, and schal pitche a grees on wardyng; and Y schal biholde, that Y se what thing schal be seid to me, and what Y schal answere to hym that repreuith me.
I will take my stand on my watch-tower, and station myself on a turret. I will watch to see what the Lord will say to me, what answer he will make to my complaint.
2 And the Lord answeride to me, and seide, Write thou the reuelacioun, and make it pleyn on tablis, that he renne, that schal rede it.
Then the Lord answered me and said: Inscribe the vision plainly on tablets, so that even someone running by could read it.
3 For yit the visioun is fer, and it schal appere in to ende, and schal not lie; if it schal make dwellyng, abide thou it, for it comynge schal come, and schal not tarie.
Though the vision waits for the time set, it hastens to fulfilment and will not fail; Though it linger long, wait for it. For it surely will come and will not be delayed.
4 Lo! the soule of hym, that is vnbileueful, schal not be riytful in hym silf; forsothe the iust man schal lyue in his feith.
The strength of the proud fails, but the upright lives by their faithfulness.
5 And as wyn disseyueth a man drynkynge, so schal the proude man be, and he schal not be maad feir; for as helle he alargide his soule, and he is as deth, and he is not fillid; and he schal gadere to hym alle folkis, and he shal kepe togidere to hym alle puplis. (Sheol h7585)
Wealth is treacherous, the arrogant never have enough. They make their desire as wide as Sheol, are like death, unsatisfied, For they gather to themselves all the nations, bring together to themselves all peoples. (Sheol h7585)
6 Whether not alle these puplis schulen take a parable on hym, and the speking of derk sentencis of hym? And it schal be seid, Wo to hym that multiplieth thingis not his owne; hou longe, and he aggreggith ayens hym silf thicke clei?
Shouldn’t everyone mock them? sing a taunt-song against them, and say: Woe to the person who amasses what is not theirs, and loads them self down with goods taken in pledge!
7 Whether not sudeynli thei schulen rise to gidere, that schulen bite thee? And thei schulen be reisid to-teerynge thee, and thou schalt be in to raueyn to hem; and thin aspieris in yuel schulen wake.
Won’t your creditors suddenly rise, and those who will overthrow you awake, and you become their prey?
8 For thou robbidist many folkis, alle schulen robbe thee, whiche schulen be left of puplis, for blood of man, and for wickidnesse of lond of the citee, and of alle men dwellynge in it.
For as you have plundered many peoples, the survivors will prey upon you. You have shed blood and committed violence to the earth, peoples and their cities.
9 Wo to hym that gaderith yuel coueitise to his hous, that his nest be in hiy, and gessith hym for to be delyuered of the hond of yuel.
Woe to you who seeks unjust gain for your dynasty, who sets your nest on high to be safe from the reach of misfortune!
10 Thou thouytist confusioun to thin hous; thou hast slayn many puplis, and thi soule synnede.
You have planned only shame for your dynasty. You have destroyed many peoples, and brought guilt upon yourself;
11 For a stoon of the wal schal crie, and a tree that is bitwixe ioynturis of bildyngis schal answere.
the stone will cry out from the wall, and the beam from the timber will answer it.
12 Wo to hym that bildith a citee in bloodis, and makith redi a citee in wickidnesse.
Woe to the person who builds a city by bloodshed, and founds a town by crime
13 Whether not these thingis ben of the Lord of oostis? For puplis schulen trauele in myche fier, and folkis in veyn, and thei schulen faile.
while the peoples toil for what fires will consume, and the nations weary themselves for nothing! This the Lord of hosts has said,
14 For the erthe schal be fillid, that it knowe the glorie of the Lord, as watris hilynge the see.
and the earth will be as full of the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the seas are full of water.
15 Wo to hym that yyueth drynk to his frend, and sendith his galle, and makith drunkun, that he biholde his nakidnesse.
Woe to him who in fury gives drink to his neighbor to make him drunk, and see him naked.
16 He is fillid with yuel fame for glorie; and thou drynke, and be aslept; the cuppe of the riythalf of the Lord schal cumpasse thee, and `castynge vp of yuel fame on thi glorie.
You are filled with shame, not glory; drink yourself and be uncovered. The cup from the Lord’s hand will pass in turn to you, and shame will cover your glory!
17 For the wickidnesse of Liban schal kyuere thee, and distruccioun of beestis schal make hem aferd, of bloodis of man, and of wickidnesse of lond, and of the citee, and of alle men dwellynge ther ynne.
For the violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, the destruction of animals will terrify you, because you shed people’s blood on the earth, destroyed people and their cities.
18 What profitith the `grauun ymage, for his makere grauyde it, a wellid thing togidere and fals ymage? for the makere therof hopide in makyng, that he made doumbe symylacris.
What use is an idol? A human made it, a metal image. It cannot speak, it cannot teach truth, Why does its maker trust it?
19 Wo to hym that seith to a tre, Wake thou; Rise thou, to a stoon beynge stille; whether he schal mow teche? Lo! this is kyuerid with gold and siluer, and no spirit is in his entrails.
Woe to the person who says to a block, awake! to a dumb stone, arise! What can it teach? It may be set with gold and silver, but there is no breath at all within it.
20 Forsothe the Lord is in his hooli temple, al erthe be stille fro his face.
The Lord is in his holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before him!
