|
|
|
|
1. This is the message that the prophet Habakkuk received in a vision.
|
1. The burden H4853 which H834 Habakkuk H2265 the prophet H5030 did see H2372 .
|
|
2. How long, O LORD, must I call for help? But you do not listen! "Violence is everywhere!" I cry, but you do not come to save.
|
2. O LORD H3068 , how long H5704 H575 shall I cry H7768 , and thou wilt not H3808 hear H8085 ! even cry out H2199 unto H413 thee of violence H2555 , and thou wilt not H3808 save H3467 !
|
|
3. Must I forever see these evil deeds? Why must I watch all this misery? Wherever I look, I see destruction and violence. I am surrounded by people who love to argue and fight.
|
3. Why H4100 dost thou show H7200 me iniquity H205 , and cause me to behold H5027 grievance H5999 ? for spoiling H7701 and violence H2555 are before H5048 me : and there are H1961 that raise up H5375 strife H7379 and contention H4066 .
|
|
4. The law has become paralyzed, and there is no justice in the courts. The wicked far outnumber the righteous, so that justice has become perverted.
|
4. Therefore H5921 H3651 the law H8451 is slacked H6313 , and judgment H4941 doth never H3808 H5331 go forth H3318 : for H3588 the wicked H7563 doth compass about H3803 H853 the righteous H6662 ; therefore H5921 H3651 wrong H6127 judgment H4941 proceedeth H3318 .
|
|
5. The LORD replied, "Look around at the nations; look and be amazed! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn't believe even if someone told you about it.
|
5. Behold H7200 ye among the heathen H1471 , and regard H5027 , and wonder marvelously H8539 H8539 : for H3588 I will work H6466 a work H6467 in your days H3117 , which ye will not H3808 believe H539 , though H3588 it be told H5608 you .
|
|
6. I am raising up the Babylonians, a cruel and violent people. They will march across the world and conquer other lands.
|
6. For H3588 , lo H2009 , I raise up H6965 H853 the Chaldeans H3778 , that bitter H4751 and hasty H4116 nation H1471 , which shall march H1980 through the breadth H4800 of the land H776 , to possess H3423 the dwelling places H4908 that are not H3808 theirs.
|
|
7. They are notorious for their cruelty and do whatever they like.
|
7. They H1931 are terrible H366 and dreadful H3372 : their judgment H4941 and their dignity H7613 shall proceed H3318 of H4480 themselves.
|
|
8. Their horses are swifter than cheetahs and fiercer than wolves at dusk. Their charioteers charge from far away. Like eagles, they swoop down to devour their prey.
|
8. Their horses H5483 also are swifter H7043 than the leopards H4480 H5246 , and are more fierce H2300 than the evening H6153 wolves H4480 H2061 : and their horsemen H6571 shall spread H6335 themselves , and their horsemen H6571 shall come H935 from far H4480 H7350 ; they shall fly H5774 as the eagle H5404 that hasteth H2363 to eat H398 .
|
|
9. "On they come, all bent on violence. Their hordes advance like a desert wind, sweeping captives ahead of them like sand.
|
9. They shall come H935 all H3605 for violence H2555 : their faces H6440 shall sup up H4041 as the east wind H6921 , and they shall gather H622 the captivity H7628 as the sand H2344 .
|
|
10. They scoff at kings and princes and scorn all their fortresses. They simply pile ramps of earth against their walls and capture them!
|
10. And they H1931 shall scoff H7046 at the kings H4428 , and the princes H7336 shall be a scorn H4890 unto them: they H1931 shall deride H7832 every H3605 stronghold H4013 ; for they shall heap H6651 dust H6083 , and take H3920 it.
|
|
11. They sweep past like the wind and are gone. But they are deeply guilty, for their own strength is their god."
|
11. Then H227 shall his mind H7307 change H2498 , and he shall pass over H5674 , and offend H816 , imputing this H2098 his power H3581 unto his god H433 .
|
|
12. O LORD my God, my Holy One, you who are eternal-- surely you do not plan to wipe us out? O LORD, our Rock, you have sent these Babylonians to correct us, to punish us for our many sins.
|
12. Art thou H859 not H3808 from everlasting H4480 H6924 , O LORD H3068 my God H430 , mine Holy One H6918 ? we shall not H3808 die H4191 . O LORD H3068 , thou hast ordained H7760 them for judgment H4941 ; and , O mighty God H6697 , thou hast established H3245 them for correction H3198 .
|
|
13. But you are pure and cannot stand the sight of evil. Will you wink at their treachery? Should you be silent while the wicked swallow up people more righteous than they?
|
13. Thou art of purer H2889 eyes H5869 than to behold H4480 H7200 evil H7451 , and canst H3201 not H3808 look H5027 on H413 iniquity H5999 : wherefore H4100 lookest H5027 thou upon them that deal treacherously H898 , and holdest thy tongue H2790 when the wicked H7563 devoureth H1104 the man that is more righteous H6662 than H4480 he?
|
|
14. Are we only fish to be caught and killed? Are we only sea creatures that have no leader?
|
14. And makest H6213 men H120 as the fishes H1709 of the sea H3220 , as the creeping things H7431 , that have no H3808 ruler H4910 over them?
|
|
15. Must we be strung up on their hooks and caught in their nets while they rejoice and celebrate?
|
15. They take up H5927 all H3605 of them with the angle H2443 , they catch H1641 them in their net H2764 , and gather H622 them in their drag H4365 : therefore H5921 H3651 they rejoice H8055 and are glad H1523 .
|
|
16. Then they will worship their nets and burn incense in front of them. "These nets are the gods who have made us rich!" they will claim.
|
16. Therefore H5921 H3651 they sacrifice H2076 unto their net H2764 , and burn incense H6999 unto their drag H4365 ; because H3588 by them H1992 their portion H2506 is fat H8082 , and their meat H3978 plenteous H1277 .
|
|
17. Will you let them get away with this forever? Will they succeed forever in their heartless conquests?
|
17. Shall they therefore H5921 H3651 empty H7324 their net H2764 , and not H3808 spare H2550 continually H8548 to slay H2026 the nations H1471 ?
|