Habakkuk 2

1 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.

Upon my watch-tower, will I stand, and will station myself upon the bulwark, —so will I keep outlook, to see—what he will speak with me, and what I shall reply, when I am reproved.

2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.

Then Yahweh answered me, and said, Write the vision, Yea, make it plain on tablets, that one may swiftly read it;

3 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.

For yet is the vision for an appointed time, still, it presseth towards an end, and will not deceive, —if it tarry, wait thou for it, for it, surely cometh, —will not be too late.

4 Behold, his soul is puffed up, it is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

Lo! as for the conceited one, crooked is his soul within him, - but, one who is righteous, by his faithfulness, shall live.

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

Moreover also, when wine betrayeth, a man, is arrogant, and findeth no rest, —because he hath enlarged, like hades, his desire, yea, he, is like death, and cannot be satisfied, —but hath gathered unto himself, all the nations, and assembled unto himself, all the peoples. (Sheol h7585)

6 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!

Shall not, these, all of them, against him, take up—a taunt, a mocking poem, enigmatical sentences—concerning him? And say—Alas! for him who maketh abundance in what is not his own, How long? that he should be burdening himself with heavy debts?

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

Will not thy creditors, suddenly rise up? and they who shall violently shake thee, all at once become active? Then shalt thou serve for booties, unto them!

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

Because, thou, hast plundered many nations, all the residue of the peoples, shall plunder thee, —for shedding Human blood, and doing violence to the earth, to the city, and to all who dwell therein.

9 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!

Alas! for him who extorteth an extortion of wrong for his own house, —that he may set on high his nest, that he may be delivered from the grasp of calamity.

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

Thou hast counseled shame to thy house—making an end of many peoples, and endangering thine own life.

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

Surely, the stone out of the wall, will make outcry, —and, the tie out of the timber, will answer it.

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

Alas! for him who buildeth a city with deeds of blood, —and establisheth a town with perversity.

13 Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts that the peoples labour for the fire, and the nations weary themselves for vanity?

Lo! is it not from Yahweh of hosts—that peoples labour for fire, and, populations, for emptiness, weary themselves?

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

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

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

Alas! for him who causeth his neighbour to drink, from the goblet of thy fury, and also, making him drunk, —to the end thou mayest gloat over their parts of shame.

16 Thou art filled with shame for glory: drink thou also, and be as one uncircumcised: the cup of the LORD’S right hand shall be turned unto thee, and foul shame shall be upon thy glory.

Thou art sated with contempt, more than glory, drink, thou too, and expose thy person, —the cup of the right hand of Yahweh, shall come round unto thee, and ignominious filth be upon thy glory;

17 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.

For, the violence [done] to Lebanon, shall cover thee, and wasting by wild beasts shall cause them terror, —for shedding Human blood, and doing violence to the earth, to the city, and to all who dwell therein.

18 What profiteth the graven image, that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and the teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols?

What hath a carved image, profited, though the fashioner thereof, carved it? a molten image, and a teacher of falsehood, —though the fashioner of his fashioned thing trusted therein? that men should make Dumb Nonentities!

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

Alas! for him who saith to wood, Awake, bestir thee! to a silent stone, he, shall teach! Though he is overlaid with gold and silver, yet, no spirit whatsoever, is in him!

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

Howbeit, Yahweh, is in his holy temple, —Hush before him, all the earth.