Habakkuk 1

1 The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.

The prophecy which was revealed to the prophet Habakkuk.

2 Jehovah, how long shall I cry and thou wilt not hear? I cry out unto thee, Violence! and thou dost not save.

How long, O Jehovah, do I cry, and thou dost not hear! How long do I complain to thee of violence, and thou dost not save!

3 Why dost thou cause me to see iniquity, and lookest thou upon grievance? For spoiling and violence are before me; and there is strife, and contention riseth up.

Why dost thou suffer me to see iniquity, And why dost thou look upon wickedness? For spoiling and violence are before me; There is contention, and strife exalteth itself.

4 Therefore the law is powerless, and justice doth never go forth; for the wicked encompasseth the righteous; therefore judgment goeth forth perverted.

Therefore the law faileth, And judgment is not pronounced according to truth; For the wicked encompasseth the righteous, Therefore wrong judgment is pronounced.

5 See ye among the nations, and behold, and wonder marvellously; for [I] work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be declared [to you].

Behold ye among the nations, and look! Yea, wonder, and be astonished! For I do a work in your days Which ye will not believe though it be told you.

6 For behold, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and impetuous nation, which marcheth through the breadth of the earth, to possess dwelling-places that are not theirs.

For behold, I raise up the Chaldeans, A fierce and swift people, Which go over the breadth of the earth, To take possession of dwelling-places that are not their own.

7 They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity proceed from themselves.

They are terrible and dreadful; From themselves go forth their law and their dignity.

8 And their horses are swifter than the leopards, and are more agile than the evening wolves; and their horsemen prance proudly, and their horsemen come from afar: they fly as an eagle that hasteth to devour.

Their horses are swifter than leopards, And fiercer than evening wolves. Their horsemen leap proudly; Their horsemen come from far; They fly like an eagle, hastening to devour.

9 They come all of them for violence: the crowd of their faces is forwards, and they gather captives as the sand.

All of them come for violence; The multitude of their faces is directed forwards, And they gather captives as sand.

10 Yea, he scoffeth at kings, and princes are a scorn unto him; he derideth every stronghold: for he heapeth up dust, and taketh it.

They also scoff at kings, And princes are to them a laughing-stock; They deride every stronghold, For they heap up earth and take it.

11 Then will his mind change, and he will pass on, and become guilty: this his power is become his god.

Then their spirit is uplifted, and they transgress, and become guilty; This their strength is made their god.

12 — Art thou not from everlasting, Jehovah my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. Jehovah, thou hast ordained him for judgment; and thou, O Rock, hast appointed him for correction.

Art thou not from everlasting, O Jehovah, my God, my Holy One? We shall not die! Thou, O Jehovah, hast appointed them for judgment; Thou, O Rock, hast ordained them for chastisement.

13 [Thou art] of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on mischief: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, [and] keepest silence when the wicked swalloweth up a [man] more righteous than he?

Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, And canst not look on wickedness; Why then dost thou look on transgressors, And art silent, when the wicked swalloweth up the man that is more righteous than he?

14 And thou makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them.

And why makest thou men as the fishes of the sea, As the reptiles that have no ruler?

15 He taketh up all of them with the hook, he catcheth them in his net, and gathereth them into his drag; therefore he rejoiceth and is glad:

They take up all of them with the hook, They catch them in their net, And gather them in their drag; Therefore they rejoice and exult.

16 therefore he sacrificeth unto his net, and burneth incense unto his drag; for by them his portion is become fat, and his meat dainty.

Therefore they sacrifice to their net, And burn incense to their drag; Because by them their portion is fat, And their food plenteous.

17 Shall he therefore empty his net, and not spare to slay the nations continually?

Shall they therefore empty the net, And slay the nations continually without mercy?