1 The oracle of God which Habakkuk the prophet saw.
1 The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet received.
2 O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and thou wilt not hear? Or cry to thee "Violence!" and thou wilt not save?
2 How long, O LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, "Violence!" but you do not save?
3 Why dost thou make me see wrongs and look upon trouble? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise.
3 Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds.
4 So the law is slacked and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous, so justice goes forth perverted.
4 Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.
5 Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.
5 "Look at the nations and watch--and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.
6 For lo, I am rousing the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize habitations not their own.
6 I am raising up the Babylonians, that ruthless and impetuous people, who sweep across the whole earth to seize dwelling places not their own.
7 Dread and terrible are they; their justice and dignity proceed from themselves.
7 They are a feared and dreaded people; they are a law to themselves and promote their own honor.
8 Their horses are swifter than leopards, more fierce than the evening wolves; their horsemen press proudly on. Yea, their horsemen come from afar; they fly like an eagle swift to devour.
8 Their horses are swifter than leopards, fiercer than wolves at dusk. Their cavalry gallops headlong; their horsemen come from afar. They fly like a vulture swooping to devour;
9 They all come for violence; terror of them goes before them. They gather captives like sand.
9 they all come bent on violence. Their hordes advance like a desert wind and gather prisoners like sand.
10 At kings they scoff, and of rulers they make sport. They laugh at every fortress, for they heap up earth and take it.
10 They deride kings and scoff at rulers. They laugh at all fortified cities; they build earthen ramps and capture them.
11 Then they sweep by like the wind and go on, guilty men, whose own might is their god!
11 Then they sweep past like the wind and go on--guilty men, whose own strength is their god."
12 Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them as a judgment; and thou, O Rock, hast established them for chastisement.
12 O LORD, are you not from everlasting? My God, my Holy One, we will not die. O LORD, you have appointed them to execute judgment; O Rock, you have ordained them to punish.
13 Thou who art of purer eyes than to behold evil and canst not look on wrong, why dost thou look on faithless men, and art silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?
13 Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?
14 For thou makest men like the fish of the sea, like crawling things that have no ruler.
14 You have made men like fish in the sea, like sea creatures that have no ruler.
15 He brings all of them up with a hook, he drags them out with his net, he gathers them in his seine; so he rejoices and exults.
15 The wicked foe pulls all of them up with hooks, he catches them in his net, he gathers them up in his dragnet; and so he rejoices and is glad.
16 Therefore he sacrifices to his net and burns incense to his seine; for by them he lives in luxury, and his food is rich.
16 Therefore he sacrifices to his net and burns incense to his dragnet, for by his net he lives in luxury and enjoys the choicest food.
17 Is he then to keep on emptying his net, and mercilessly slaying nations for ever?
17 Is he to keep on emptying his net, destroying nations without mercy?