Habakkuk 2

1 I will climb my watchtower; I will take my place on the city wall. I will keep watch and see what he will say to me, how he will answer my grievances.

I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will look forth to see what he will speak with me, and what I shall answer concerning my complaint.

2 Then the Lord told me, Write down the vision, inscribe it on tablets, so it can be easily read.

And Jehovah answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tablets, that he may run that readeth it.

3 For the vision is for a future time, it is about the end and it does not lie. If it seems slow in being fulfilled, wait for it, for it will definitely come—it will not be delayed!

For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it hasteth toward the end, and shall not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not delay.

4 Look at those who are proud! They do not live right. But those who live right do so through their trust in God.

Behold, his soul is puffed up, it is not upright in him; but the righteous shall live by his faith.

5 In addition wealth provides no security. Those who are arrogant never have any peace; their greedy mouths are as wide open as the grave, and like death they are never satisfied. They gather nations like possessions, swallowing up many peoples. (Sheol h7585)

Yea, moreover, wine is treacherous, a haughty man, that keepeth not at home; who enlargeth his desire as Sheol, and he is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all peoples. (Sheol h7585)

6 Won't all these peoples taunt them? They will ridicule them, saying, “What disaster is coming to you who pile up things that don't belong to you! You make yourselves rich by forcing debtors to pay! How long can you go on doing this?”

Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and that ladeth himself with pledges!

7 Won't your debtors suddenly act? Won't they wake up to the situation and make you tremble? You will be plunder for them!

Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booty unto them?

8 Because you have plundered many nations, those who are left will plunder you—for the human blood you have shed and the destruction you brought on lands and cities, and those who lived there.

Because thou hast plundered many nations, all the remnant of the peoples shall plunder thee, because of men’s blood, and for the violence done to the land, to the city and to all that dwell therein.

9 What disaster is coming to you who build houses through dishonest gain! You think you can place your “nest” so high it will be safe from disaster.

Woe to him that getteth an evil gain for his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the hand of evil!

10 Your evil schemes have brought shame upon your families, by destroying many nations you have forfeited your own lives.

Thou hast devised shame to thy house, by cutting off many peoples, and hast sinned against thy soul.

11 Even the stones in the wall cry out in condemnation, and the wooden rafters join in too.

For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it.

12 What disaster is coming to you who build cities with bloodshed, who found cities built on wickedness!

Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and establisheth a city by iniquity!

13 Hasn't the Lord Almighty decided that all such nations work for will be destroyed by fire, that they wear themselves out for nothing?

Behold, is it not of Jehovah of hosts that the peoples labor for the fire, and the nations weary themselves for vanity?

14 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord's glory as the waters fill the sea.

For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea.

15 What disaster is coming to you who make your neighbors drunk! You force your cup of anger on them and make them drink so you may see them naked.

Woe unto him that giveth his neighbor drink, [to thee] that addest thy venom, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!

16 In turn you will be filled with shame instead of glory. Drink yourself and expose your nakedness! The cup the Lord holds in his right hand will be passed round to you and your glory will turn to shame.

Thou art filled with shame, and not glory: drink thou also, and be as one uncircumcised; the cup of Jehovah’s right hand shall come round unto thee, and foul shame shall be upon thy glory.

17 As you destroyed the forests of Lebanon you will also be destroyed; you hunted the animals there, and now they will hunt you. For you shed human blood and you destroyed lands and cities, along with those who lived there.

For the violence done to Lebanon shall cover thee, and the destruction of the beasts, which made them afraid; because of men’s blood, and for the violence done to the land, to the city and to all that dwell therein.

18 What use is a wooden idol carved by human hands, or a metal image that teaches lies? What is the point of their makers trusting in their own handiwork, creating idols that can't speak?

What profiteth the graven image, that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, even the teacher of lies, that he that fashioneth its form trusteth therein, to make dumb idols?

19 What disaster is coming to you who say to something made of wood, “Wake up!” or to lifeless stone, “Get up!” Can it teach you anything? Look at it! It's covered with gold and silver, but there is no life inside it.

Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise! Shall this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it.

20 But the Lord is in his holy Temple; let all the earth be silent in his presence.

But Jehovah is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.