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.

On my charge I stand, and I station myself on a bulwark, and I watch to see what He speaks against me, and what I reply to my reproof.

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 YHWH answers me and says: “Write a vision, and explain on the tablets, That he may run who is reading it.

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 yet the vision [is] for a season, And it breathes for the end, and does not lie, If it lingers, wait for it, For surely it comes, it is not late.

4 Behold, he who is unbelieving, his soul will not be right within himself; but he who is just shall live in his faith.

Behold, a presumptuous one! His soul is not upright within him, And the righteous lives by his 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)

And also, because the wine [is] treacherous, A man is haughty, and does not remain at home, Who has enlarged his soul as Sheol, And is as death that is not satisfied, And gathers to itself all the nations, And assembles to itself 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?

Are these not—all of them—an allegory taken up against him, And a moral of acute sayings for him, And say, Woe [to] him who is multiplying [what is] not his? Until when also is he multiplying to himself heavy pledges?

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?

Do your usurers not instantly rise up, And those shaking you awake, And you have been a spoil 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 you have spoiled many nations, All the remnant of the peoples spoil you, Because of man’s blood, and of violence [to] the land, [To] the city, and [to] all dwelling 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 who is gaining evil gain for his house, To set his nest on high, To be delivered from the hand of evil,

10 You have devised confusion for your house, you have cut to pieces many peoples, and your soul has sinned.

You have counseled a shameful thing to your house, To cut off many peoples, and your soul [is] sinful.

11 For the stone will cry out from the wall, and the wood that is between the joints of the building will respond.

For a stone cries out from the wall, And a beam from the wood answers it.

12 Woe to him who builds a town with blood and prepares a city by iniquity.

Woe [to] him who is building a city by blood, And establishing a city by iniquity.

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.

Behold, is it not from YHWH of Hosts And peoples are fatigued for fire, And nations for vanity are weary?

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 is full of the knowledge of the glory of YHWH, As the waters cover over a sea.

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 who is giving drink to his neighbor, Pouring out your bottle, and also making drunk, In order to look on their nakedness.

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.

You have been filled—shame without honor, Drink also, and be uncircumcised, Turn around to you does the cup of the right hand of YHWH, And shameful spewing [is] on your 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 violence [done to] Lebanon covers you, And spoil of beasts frightens them, Because of man’s blood, and of violence [to] the land, [To] the city, and [to] all dwelling 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 has a carved image given That its former has hewn it? A molten image and teacher of falsehood, That the former has trusted on his own formation—to make mute 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 who is saying to wood, Awake, To a mute stone, Stir up, It [is] a teacher! Behold, it is overlaid—gold and silver, And there is no spirit in its midst.

20 But the Lord is in his holy temple. May all the earth be silent before his face.

And YHWH [is] in His holy temple, Be silent before Him, all the earth!”