How long, Lord?
The burden that Habakkuk the prophet saw. How long, Lord, will I cry and you won't hear? I cry out to you, Violence! — and you do not save. Why do you show me wrongdoing and make me see grievance? Destruction and violence are right in front of me. Conflict rises up, and so does arguing. So the law has gone slack, and justice never comes out right. The wicked hem the righteous in, and justice comes out crooked. Look among the nations. Watch and be utterly amazed, because I will work a work in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told. Look — I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the land to seize dwelling places that are not theirs. They are terrible and dreadful. Their judgement and their dignity proceed from themselves. Their horses are faster than leopards, fiercer than wolves at dusk. Their horsemen come on at a gallop, from a long way off, swooping like an eagle onto its feed. They all come for violence. Their faces swallow up like the east wind, and they gather the captivity like sand. They make fun of kings, and princes are a joke to them. They laugh at every fortress: they throw up a ramp of dirt and take it. Then his mind will change, and he will pass over and offend, imputing this power of his to his god.
The word that Habakkuk the prophet saw. Lord, how long do I have to cry out and you won't hear? I cry out to you about violence and you won't save. Why do you show me wrongdoing and make me look at trouble? Because ruin and violence are in front of me, and there are ones who stir up arguing and fighting. So the teaching goes slack and judgment never comes out. Because the wicked hem in the righteous, so judgment comes out twisted. Look among the nations and see. Be shocked and amazed. Because I'll do a work in your days that you won't believe, even if you're told it. Because look — I'm raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the width of the land to take over places that aren't theirs. They're terrifying and frightening. Their judgment and their honour come out of themselves. Their horses are faster than leopards and fiercer than wolves at evening. And their horsemen spread out. Their horsemen will come from a long way off. They'll fly like an eagle that hurries to eat. They'll all come for violence. Their faces are set to go forward, and they'll gather captives like sand. And they'll make a joke of kings, and rulers will be a laugh to them. They'll laugh at every stronghold, because they'll heap up dirt and take it. Then his mind will change and he'll go past and do wrong — this man whose strength is his god.
The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see. O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save! Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention. Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth. Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you. For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs. They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves. Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat. They shall come all for violence: their faces shall sup up as the east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the sand. And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a scorn unto them: they shall deride every strong hold; for they shall heap dust, and take it. Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend, imputing this his power unto his god.
The burden that Habakkuk the prophet saw.
The word that Habakkuk the prophet saw.
The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.
How long, Lord, will I cry and you won't hear? I cry out to you, Violence! — and you do not save.
Lord, how long do I have to cry out and you won't hear? I cry out to you about violence and you won't save.
O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!
Why do you show me wrongdoing and make me see grievance? Destruction and violence are right in front of me. Conflict rises up, and so does arguing.
Why do you show me wrongdoing and make me look at trouble? Because ruin and violence are in front of me, and there are ones who stir up arguing and fighting.
Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention.
So the law has gone slack, and justice never comes out right. The wicked hem the righteous in, and justice comes out crooked.
So the teaching goes slack and judgment never comes out. Because the wicked hem in the righteous, so judgment comes out twisted.
Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.
Look among the nations. Watch and be utterly amazed, because I will work a work in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.
Look among the nations and see. Be shocked and amazed. Because I'll do a work in your days that you won't believe, even if you're told it.
Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.
Look — I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the land to seize dwelling places that are not theirs.
Because look — I'm raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the width of the land to take over places that aren't theirs.
For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs.
They are terrible and dreadful. Their judgement and their dignity proceed from themselves.
They're terrifying and frightening. Their judgment and their honour come out of themselves.
They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves.
Their horses are faster than leopards, fiercer than wolves at dusk. Their horsemen come on at a gallop, from a long way off, swooping like an eagle onto its feed.
Their horses are faster than leopards and fiercer than wolves at evening. And their horsemen spread out. Their horsemen will come from a long way off. They'll fly like an eagle that hurries to eat.
Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat.
They all come for violence. Their faces swallow up like the east wind, and they gather the captivity like sand.
They'll all come for violence. Their faces are set to go forward, and they'll gather captives like sand.
They shall come all for violence: their faces shall sup up as the east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the sand.
They make fun of kings, and princes are a joke to them. They laugh at every fortress: they throw up a ramp of dirt and take it.
And they'll make a joke of kings, and rulers will be a laugh to them. They'll laugh at every stronghold, because they'll heap up dirt and take it.
And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a scorn unto them: they shall deride every strong hold; for they shall heap dust, and take it.
Then his mind will change, and he will pass over and offend, imputing this power of his to his god.
Then his mind will change and he'll go past and do wrong — this man whose strength is his god.
Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend, imputing this his power unto his god.
Purer eyes than to look at evil
Aren't you from everlasting, Lord my God, my Holy One? We will not die. Lord, you have ordained them for judgement, and, mighty God, you have established them for correction. Your eyes are too pure to look on evil. You cannot stand to watch wrongdoing. So why do you look on while men deal treacherously, and hold your tongue while the wicked swallow up a man more righteous than himself? You have made men like the fish of the sea, like creeping things with nobody over them. The enemy hauls them all up on his hook. He drags them in with his net and gathers them in his dragnet, and so he is pleased with himself and glad. So he sacrifices to his net and burns incense to his dragnet, because thanks to them he lives well and eats his fill. Is he to keep emptying his net, then, and go on killing nations without let-up?
Aren't you from forever, Lord my God, my Holy One? We won't die. Lord, you've set them up for judgment. Mighty God, you've set them up to set us straight. You've got purer eyes than to look at evil, and you can't look at trouble. So why do you look on the ones who deal treacherously and keep quiet while the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he is? And you make men like the fish of the sea, like the crawling things that have no ruler over them. They pull them all up with a hook. They catch them in their net and gather them in their dragnet. So they're glad and celebrate. So they sacrifice to their net and burn incense to their dragnet — because by them their share is fat and their food is rich. Will they keep emptying their net then, and go on killing the nations without mercy?
Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction. Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he? And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them? They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: therefore they rejoice and are glad. Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous. Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations?
Aren't you from everlasting, Lord my God, my Holy One? We will not die. Lord, you have ordained them for judgement, and, mighty God, you have established them for correction.
Aren't you from forever, Lord my God, my Holy One? We won't die. Lord, you've set them up for judgment. Mighty God, you've set them up to set us straight.
Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction.
Your eyes are too pure to look on evil. You cannot stand to watch wrongdoing. So why do you look on while men deal treacherously, and hold your tongue while the wicked swallow up a man more righteous than himself?
You've got purer eyes than to look at evil, and you can't look at trouble. So why do you look on the ones who deal treacherously and keep quiet while the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he is?
Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?
You have made men like the fish of the sea, like creeping things with nobody over them.
And you make men like the fish of the sea, like the crawling things that have no ruler over them.
And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?
The enemy hauls them all up on his hook. He drags them in with his net and gathers them in his dragnet, and so he is pleased with himself and glad.
They pull them all up with a hook. They catch them in their net and gather them in their dragnet. So they're glad and celebrate.
They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: therefore they rejoice and are glad.
So he sacrifices to his net and burns incense to his dragnet, because thanks to them he lives well and eats his fill.
So they sacrifice to their net and burn incense to their dragnet — because by them their share is fat and their food is rich.
Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous.
Is he to keep emptying his net, then, and go on killing nations without let-up?
Will they keep emptying their net then, and go on killing the nations without mercy?
Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations?