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 guard post and station myself on the watchtower, and I will watch carefully to see what he will say to me and how I should turn from my complaint.

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

Yahweh answered me and said, “Record this vision, and write plainly on the tablets so that the one reading them might run.

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 a future time and will finally speak and not fail. Though it delays, wait for it. For it will surely come and will not tarry.

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

Look! The one whose desires are not right within him is puffed up. But the righteous will live by his 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)

For wine is a betrayer of the arrogant young man so that he will not abide, but enlarges his desire like the grave and, like death, is never satisfied. He gathers to himself every nation and gathers up for himself all of the 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?

Will not all these create a saying to ridicule him and a taunting song about him, saying, 'Woe to the one increasing what is not his! For how long will you increase the weight of the pledges you have taken?'

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!

Will the ones biting at you not rise up suddenly, and the ones terrifying you awaken? You will become a victim for them.

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 peoples, all the remnant of the peoples will plunder you. For you have shed human blood and acted with violence against the land, the cities, and all who live in them.

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 the one who carves out evil gains for his house, so he can set his nest on high to keep himself safe 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 for your house by cutting off many people, and have sinned against yourself.

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

For the stones will cry out from the wall, and the rafters of timber will answer them,

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

'Woe to the one who builds a city with blood, and who establishes a town in iniquity.'

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

Is it not from Yahweh of hosts that peoples labor for fire and all the other nations weary themselves for nothing?

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

Yet the land will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Yahweh 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 the one who forces his neighbors to drink— you express your anger over and you make them drunk in order to look at their nakedness.'

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 will be filled with shame instead of glory. Now it is your turn! Drink, and you will expose your uncircumcised foreskin! The cup in Yahweh's right hand is coming 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.

The violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you and the destruction of animals will terrify you. For you have shed human blood and you have acted with violence against the land, the cities, and all who live 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 does the carved figure profit you? For the one who has carved it, or who casts a figure from molten metal, is a teacher of lies; for he trusts his own handiwork when he makes these mute gods.

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 the one saying to the wood, Wake up! Or to the silent stone, Arise!' Do these things teach? See, it is overlaid with gold and silver, but there is no breath at all within it.

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

But Yahweh is in his holy temple! Be silent before him, all the land.”