Habacuc Propheta 1
1 Onus, quod vidit Habacuc propheta.
[I am] Habakkuk, a prophet. This is the [message that Yahweh] gave to me in a vision.
2 Usquequo Domine clamabo, et non exaudies? vociferabor ad te vim patiens, et non salvabis?
[I said, ] “Yahweh, how long must I continue to call [to you] for help before you respond? I cry out to you [for help], saying that [people are acting] violently [everywhere], but you do not rescue us!
3 Quare ostendisti mihi iniquitatem, et laborem, videre prædam, et iniustitiam contra me? et factum est iudicium, et contradictio potentior.
(Must I/I do not want to) continue seeing people doing what is unjust [RHQ]. Why do you not punish people who are doing what is wrong [RHQ]? I see people destroying things and [acting] violently. There is fighting and quarreling [everywhere].
4 Propter hoc lacerata est lex, et non pervenit usque ad finem iudicium: quia impius prævalet adversus iustum, propterea egreditur iudicium perversum.
No one obeys laws [PRS], and judges [PRS] never do what is fair/just. Wicked people always defeat righteous people [in the courts], with the result that matters are never decided fairly/justly.”
5 Aspicite in gentibus, et videte: admiramini, et obstupescite: quia opus factum est in diebus vestris, quod nemo credet cum narrabitur.
[Yahweh replied to me, ] “[I know that what you say is true, but] look around at [what is happening in] the other nations; [if you look, ] you will be amazed, because I am doing something during this time that you would not believe [would happen], even if someone told you about it.
6 Quia ecce ego suscitabo Chaldæos, gentem amaram et velocem, ambulantem super latitudinem terræ, ut possideat tabernacula non sua.
The soldiers of Babylonia are fierce/cruel and swift. And now I am causing them [to become very powerful]; they will march across the world and conquer [many] other countries.
7 Horribilis, et terribilis est: ex semetipsa iudicium, et onus eius egredietur.
They are people whom [others] fear very much [DOU], and they do whatever they want to, paying no attention to the laws of other countries.
8 Leviores pardis equi eius, et velociores lupis vespertinis: et diffundentur equites eius: equites namque eius de longe venient, volabunt quasi aquila festinans ad comedendum.
The horses [that pull their chariots] go faster than leopards, and they are fiercer than wolves are in the evening. The horses on which the soldiers ride gallop swiftly; the soldiers riding them come from distant places. They are like [SIM] eagles that swoop down to [snatch and] kill small animals.
9 Omnes ad prædam venient, facies eorum ventus urens: et congregabit quasi arenam, captivitatem.
As they ride along, [they are] determined to act violently. They advance like [SIM] a wind from the desert, gathering prisoners that are as [numerous as grains of] sand.
10 Et ipse de regibus triumphabit, et tyranni ridiculi eius erunt: ipse super omnem munitionem ridebit, et comportabit aggerem, et capiet eam.
They make fun of kings and princes [of other countries], and they ridicule all the cities that have high walls around them. They pile dirt [outside those walls] [in order to climb up] and capture those cities.
11 Tunc mutabitur spiritus, et pertransibit; et corruet: hæc est fortitudo eius dei sui.
They rush past like the wind, and then they go [to attack other cities]. But they are very guilty, because [they think that] their own power is their god.”
12 Numquid non tu a principio Domine Deus meus, sancte meus, et non moriemur? Domine in iudicium posuisti eum: et fortem ut corriperes, fundasti eum.
[Then I said, ] “Yahweh, you have certainly [RHQ] always/forever been God. You are my Holy One; you will not die. So [why] have you appointed those men [from Babylonia] to judge and get rid of [us]? You are like [MET] a huge rock [under which we are protected/safe], so why have you sent them to punish us?
13 Mundi sunt oculi tui, ne videas malum, et respicere ad iniquitatem non poteris. Quare respicis super iniqua agentes, et taces devorante impio iustiorem se?
You [SYN] are pure, and you cannot endure looking at what is evil, [so why] are you ignoring men who are treacherous? Why do you do nothing [to punish] those wicked men [from Babylonia] who destroy people who are more righteous than they [are]?
14 Et facies homines quasi pisces maris, et quasi reptile non habens principem.
[Do you consider that] we are like fish in the sea, or like other creatures in the sea, that have no ruler?
15 Totum in hamo sublevavit, traxit illud in sagena sua, et congregavit in rete suum. Super hoc lætabitur et exultabit.
[The soldiers of Babylonia think that we are fish] [RHQ] for them to pull out of the sea with hooks or to catch in their nets, while they rejoice and celebrate.
16 Propterea immolabit sagenæ suæ, et sacrificabit reti suo: quia in ipsis incrassata est pars eius, et cibus eius electus.
If they catch us, they will [worship] their weapons [MET] with which they captured us, and offer sacrifices to them and burn incense in front of them! [They will say] ‘Those weapons have enabled us to become rich and be able to eat expensive food.’
17 Propter hoc ergo expandit sagenam suam, et semper interficere gentes non parcet.
[Will you allow] them to continue [to conquer people] [MET] forever? [Will you allow] them to destroy people of other nations without their being merciful [to anyone]?”
