Habakkuk 2
1 I will stand firm during my watch, and fix my position over the fortification. And I will observe carefully, to see what might be said to me and what I might respond to my opponent.
I will stand upon my watch, and mount upon the rock, and watch to see what he will say by me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.
2 And the Lord responded to me and said: Write the vision and explain it on tablets, so that he who reads it may run through it.
And the Lord answered me and said, Write the vision, and [that] plainly on a tablet, that he that reads it may run.
3 For as yet the vision is far off, and it will appear in the end, and it will not lie. If it expresses any delay, wait for it. For it is arriving and it will arrive, and it will not be hindered.
For the vision [is] yet for a time, and it shall shoot forth at the end, and not in vain: though he should tarry, wait for him; for he will surely come, and will not tarry.
4 Behold, he who is unbelieving, his soul will not be right within himself; but he who is just shall live in his faith.
If he should draw back, my soul has no pleasure in him: but the just shall live by my faith.
5 And in the manner that wine deceives the heavy drinker, so will the arrogant man be deceived, and he will not be honored. He has enlarged his life like hellfire, and himself like death, and he is never fulfilled. And he will gather to himself all nations, and he will amass for himself all peoples. (Sheol h7585)
But the arrogant man and the scorner, the boastful man, shall not finish anything; who has enlarged his desire as the grave, and like death he is never satisfied, and he will gather to himself all the nations, and will receive to himself all the peoples. (Sheol h7585)
6 Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and an enigmatic utterance about him? And it will be said, “Woe to him who increases what is not his own.” How long, then, will he lay down dense clay against himself?
Shall not all these take up a parable against him? and a proverb to tell against him? and they shall say, Woe to him that multiplies to himself the possessions which are not his! how long? and who heavily loads his yoke.
7 Shall they not suddenly rise up, who would bite you, and be stirred up, who would tear you, so that you will be a prey for them?
For suddenly there shall arise up those that bite him, and they that plot against thee shall awake, and thou shalt be a plunder to them.
8 Because you have despoiled many peoples, all those who are left of the people shall despoil you, because of the blood of men, and the iniquity of the earth, of the city and all who dwell therein.
Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the nations that are left shall spoil [thee], because of the blood of men, and the sins of the land and city, and of all that dwell in it.
9 Woe to him who gathers together an evil greed for his house, so that his nest may be exalted, and thinking that he might free himself from the hand of evil.
Woe to him that covets an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evils.
10 You have devised confusion for your house, you have cut to pieces many peoples, and your soul has sinned.
Thou hast devised shame to thy house, thou hast utterly destroyed many nations, and thy soul has sinned.
11 For the stone will cry out from the wall, and the wood that is between the joints of the building will respond.
For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beetle out of the timber shall speak.
12 Woe to him who builds a town with blood and prepares a city by iniquity.
Woe to him that builds a city with blood, and establishes a city by unrighteousness.
13 Are not these things before the Lord of hosts? For the people will labor amid a great fire, and the nations will labor in emptiness, and they will fail.
Are not these things of the Lord Almighty? surely many people have been exhausted in the fire, and many nations have fainted.
14 For the earth shall be filled, that they might know the glory of the Lord, like the waters spreading over the sea.
For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord; it shall cover them as water.
15 Woe to anyone who gives a drink to a friend, releasing a drug and inebriating, so as to look upon their nakedness.
Woe to him that gives his neighbour to drink the thick lees [of wine], and intoxicates [him], that he may look upon their secret parts.
16 You are filled with disgrace in place of glory. So then, drink and fall fast asleep, for the cup of the right hand of the Lord will surround you, and a disgraceful vomit will cover your glory.
Drink thou also [thy] fill of disgrace instead of glory: shake, O heart, and quake, the cup of the right hand of the Lord has come round upon thee, and dishonour has gathered upon thy glory.
17 For the iniquity of Lebanon will cover you, and the devastation of animals which will deter them from the blood of men, and the iniquity of the earth and the city, and of all who dwell therein.
For the ungodliness of Libanus shall cover thee, and distress because of wild beasts shall dismay thee, because of the blood of men, and the sins of the land and city, and of all that dwell in it.
18 Of what benefit is the graven image? For its maker has formed it, a molten and imaginary deception. For its maker has hoped in a figment of his own creation, so as to make a dumb likeness.
What profit it the graven image, that they have graven it? [one] has made it a molten work, a false image; for the maker has trusted in his work, to make dumb idols.
19 Woe to him who says to wood, “Awaken,” to the silent stone, “Arise.” Is it able to teach? Behold, it has been entirely covered with gold and silver; and there is no spirit at all in its inner workings.
Woe to him that says to the wood, Awake, arise; and to the stone, Be thou exalted! whereas it is an image, and this is a casting of gold and silver, and there is no breath in it.
20 But the Lord is in his holy temple. May all the earth be silent before his face.
But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth fear before him.
