Habakkuk 2

1 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.

I will stand at my watch, and set myself on the ramparts, and will look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint.

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

The LORD answered me, "Write the vision, and make it plain on tablets, that he who runs may read it.

3 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.

For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it hurries toward the end, and won't prove false. Though it takes time, wait for it; because it will surely come, and it won't delay.

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

Look, if he holds back, my soul has no pleasure in him, but the righteous will live by faith.

5 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)

And moreover, wealth is treacherous; a proud man will not endure. He enlarges his desire as Sheol, and he is like death, and can't be satisfied. He gathers all nations to himself, and collects to himself all peoples. (Sheol h7585)

6 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?

Won't all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, 'Woe to him who increases that which is not his, and who enriches himself by extortion. How long?'

7 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!

Won't your debtors rise up suddenly, and wake up those who make you tremble, and you will be their victim?

8 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.

Because you have plundered many nations, all the remnant of the peoples will plunder you, because of men's blood, and for the violence done to the land, to the city and to all who dwell in it.

9 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.

Woe to him who gets an evil gain for his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the hand of evil.

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

You have devised shame to your house, by cutting off many peoples, and have sinned against your soul.

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

For the stone will cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the woodwork will answer it.

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

Woe to him who builds a town with blood, and establishes a city by iniquity.

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

Look, isn't it of the LORD of hosts that the peoples labor for the fire, and the nations weary themselves for vanity?

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

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

15 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.

"Woe to him who gives his neighbor drink, pouring your inflaming wine until they are drunk, so that you may gaze at their naked bodies.

16 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;

You are filled with shame, and not glory. You will also drink, and be exposed. The cup of the LORD's right hand will come around to you, and disgrace will cover your glory.

17 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.

For the violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, and the destruction of the animals, which made them afraid; because of men's blood, and for the violence done to the land, to every city and to those who dwell in them.

18 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!

"What value does the engraved image have, that its maker has engraved it; the molten image, even the teacher of lies, that he who fashions its form trusts in it, to make mute idols?

19 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!

Woe to him who says to the wood, 'Awake.' or to the mute stone, 'Arise.' Shall this teach? Look, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in its midst.

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

But the LORD is in his holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before him."