Habakkuk 1

1 THE BURDEN which Habakkuk the prophet did see.

The prophecy which was revealed to the prophet Habakkuk.

2 How long, O LORD, shall I cry, and Thou wilt not hear? I cry out unto Thee of violence, and Thou wilt 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 show me iniquity, and beholdest mischief? And why are spoiling and violence before me? so that there is strife, and contention ariseth.

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 slacked, and right doth never go forth; for the wicked doth beset the righteous; therefore right 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 Look ye among the nations, and behold, and wonder marvellously; for, behold, a work shall be wrought in your days, which ye will not believe though it be told 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, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and impetuous nation, that march 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 law and their majesty proceed from themselves.

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

8 Their horses also are swifter than leopards, and are more fierce than the wolves of the desert; and their horsemen spread themselves; yea, their horsemen come from far, they fly as a vulture 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; their faces are set eagerly as the east wind; 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 And they scoff at kings, and princes are a derision unto them; they deride every stronghold, for they heap up earth, and take 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 their spirit doth pass over and transgress, and they become guilty: even they who impute their might unto their god.

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

12 Art not Thou from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O LORD, Thou hast ordained them for judgment, and Thou, O Rock, hast established them 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 that art of eyes too pure to behold evil, and that canst not look on mischief, wherefore lookest Thou, when they deal treacherously, and holdest Thy peace, when the wicked swalloweth up the man that is 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 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 They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag; therefore they rejoice and exult.

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 they sacrifice unto their net, and offer unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their food plenteous.

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 they therefore empty their net, and not spare to slay the nations continually?

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