Habakkuk 1

¹The burden that Habakkuk the prophet saw.

²How long, O Lord, shall I cry out, and you will not heed? Shall I shout to you while suffering violence, and you will not save?

³Why have you revealed to me iniquity and hardship, to see plunder and injustice opposite me? And there has been judgment, but the opposition is more powerful.

⁴Because of this, the law has been torn apart, and judgment does not persevere to its conclusion. For the impious prevail against the just. Because of this, a perverse judgment is issued.

⁵Gaze among the nations, and see. Admire, and be astounded. For a work has been done in your days, which no one will believe when it is told.

⁶For behold, I will raise up the Chaldeans, a bitter and swift people, marching across the width of the earth, to possess tabernacles not their own.

⁷It is dreadful and terrible. From themselves, judgment and their burden will issue.

⁸Their horses are more nimble than leopards and swifter than wolves in the evening; their horsemen will spread out. And then their horsemen will approach from far away; they will fly like the eagle, hurrying to devour.

⁹They will all approach towards the prey; their face is like a burning wind. And they will gather captives together like sand.

¹⁰And concerning kings, he will triumph, and sovereign rulers will be his laughingstock, and he will laugh over every fortress, and he will transport a rampart and seize it.

¹¹Then his spirit will be altered, and he will cross over and fall. Such is his strength from his god.

¹²Have you not existed from the beginning, Lord my God, my holy one, and so we shall not die? Lord, you have stationed him for judgment, and you have established that his strength will be swept away.

¹³Your eyes are pure, you do not behold evil, and you cannot look towards iniquity. Why do you look upon the agents of iniquity, and remain silent, while the impious is devouring one who is more just than himself?

¹⁴And you will make men like the fish of the sea and like the creeping things that have no ruler.

¹⁵He lifted up everything with his hook. He drew them in with his dragnet, and gathered them into his netting. Over this, he will rejoice and exult.

¹⁶For this reason, he will offer victims to his dragnet, and he will sacrifice to his netting. For through them, his portion has been made fat, and his meals elite.

¹⁷Because of this, therefore, he expands his dragnet and will not be lenient in continually putting to death the peoples.

Habakkuk 1

¹The burden that Habakkuk the prophet saw.

²How long, O Lord, shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear? shall I cry out to thee suffering violence, and thou wilt not save?

³Why hast thou shewn me iniquity and grievance, to see rapine and injustice before me? and there is a judgment, but opposition is more powerful.

⁴Therefore the law is torn in pieces, and judgment cometh not to the end: because the wicked prevaileth against the just, therefore wrong judgment goeth forth.

⁵Behold ye among the nations, and see: wonder, and be astonished: for a work is done in your days, which no man will believe when it shall be told.

⁶For behold, I will raise up the Chaldeans, a bitter and swift nation, marching upon the breadth of the earth, to possess the dwelling places that are not their own.

⁷They are dreadful, and terrible: from themselves shall their judgment, and their burden proceed.

⁸Their horses are lighter than leopards, and swifter than evening wolves; and their horsemen shall be spread abroad: for their horsemen shall come from afar, they shall fly as an eagle that maketh haste to eat.

⁹They shall all come to the prey, their face is like a burning wind: and they shall gather together captives as the sand.

¹⁰And their prince shall triumph over kings, and princes shall be his laughingstock: and he shall laugh at every strong hold, and shall cast up a mount, and shall take it.

¹¹Then shall his spirit be changed, and he shall pass, and fall: this is his strength of his god.

¹²Wast thou not from the beginning, O Lord my God, my holy one, and we shall not die? Lord, thou hast appointed him for judgment: and made him strong for correction.

¹³Thy eyes are too pure to behold evil, and thou canst not look on iniquity. Why lookest thou upon them that do unjust things, and holdest thy peace when the wicked devoureth the man that is more just than himself?

¹⁴And thou wilt make men as the fishes of the sea, and as the creeping things that have no ruler.

¹⁵He lifted up all them with his hook, he drew them in his drag, and gathered them into his net: for this he will be glad and rejoice.

¹⁶Therefore will he offer victims to his drag, and he will sacrifice to his net: because through them his portion is made fat, and his meat dainty.

¹⁷For this cause therefore he spreadeth his net, and will not spare continually to slay the nations.