Dual Panel1The oracle<4853> which<834> Habakkuk<2265> the prophet<5030> saw<2372>.
2How<575> long<5704>, O LORD<3068>, will I call<7768> for help<7768>, And You will not hear<8085>? I cry<2199> out to You, "Violence<2555>!" Yet You do not save<3467>.
3Why<4100> do You make<7200> me see<7200> iniquity<205>, And cause me to look<5027> on wickedness<5999>? Yes, destruction<7701> and violence<2555> are before<5048> me; Strife<7379> exists<1961> and contention<4066> arises<5375>.
4Therefore<5921><3651> the law<8451> is ignored<6313> And justice<4941> is never<3808><5331> upheld<3318>. For the wicked<7563> surround<3803> the righteous<6662>; Therefore<5921><3651> justice<4941> comes<3318> out perverted<6127>.
5"Look<7200> among the nations<1471>! Observe<5027>! Be astonished<8539>! Wonder<8539>! Because<3588> I am doing<6466> something<6467> in your days<3117>-- You would not believe<539> if<3588> you were told<5608>.
6"For behold<2009>, I am raising<6965> up the Chaldeans<3778>, That fierce<4751> and impetuous<4116> people<1471> Who march<1980> throughout<4800> the earth<776> To seize<3423> dwelling<4908> places<4908> which are not theirs.
7"They are dreaded<366> and feared<3372>; Their justice<4941> and authority<7613> originate<3318> with themselves.
8"Their horses<5483> are swifter<7043> than<4480> leopards<5246> And keener<2300> than<4480> wolves<2061> in the evening<6153>. Their horsemen<6571> come<935> galloping<6335>, Their horsemen<6571> come<935> from afar<7350>; They fly<5774> like an eagle<5404> swooping<2363> down to devour<398>.
9"All<3605> of them come<935> for violence<2555>. Their horde<4041> of faces<6440> moves forward<6921>. They collect<622> captives<7628> like sand<2344>.
10"They mock<7046> at kings<4428> And rulers<7336> are a laughing<4890> matter to them. They laugh<7832> at every<3605> fortress<4013> And heap<6651> up rubble<6083> to capture<3920> it.
11"Then<227> they will sweep<2498> through<2498> like the wind<7307> and pass<5674> on. But they will be held<816> guilty<816>, They whose<2098> strength<3581> is their god<433>."
12Are You not from everlasting<6924>, O LORD<3068>, my God<430>, my Holy<6918> One<6918>? We will not die<4191>. You, O LORD<3068>, have appointed<7760> them to judge<4941>; And You, O Rock<6697>, have established<3245> them to correct<3198>.
13Your eyes<5869> are too<4480> pure<2889> to approve<7200> evil<7451>, And You can<3201> not look<5027> on wickedness<5999> with favor. Why<4100> do You look<5027> with favor On those who deal<898> treacherously<898>? Why are You silent<2790> when the wicked<7563> swallow<1104> up Those more<4480> righteous<6662> than<4480> they?
14Why have You made<6213> men<120> like the fish<1709> of the sea<3220>, Like creeping<7431> things<7431> without<3808> a ruler<4910> over them?
15The Chaldeans bring<5927> all<3605> of them up with a hook<2443>, Drag<1641> them away<1641> with their net<2764>, And gather<622> them together in their fishing<4365> net<4365>. Therefore<5921><3651> they rejoice<8055> and are glad<1523>.
16Therefore<5921><3651> they offer<2076> a sacrifice<2076> to their net<2764> And burn<6999> incense<6999> to their fishing<4365> net<4365>; Because<3588> through these<1992> things<1992> their catch<2506> is large<8082>, And their food<3978> is plentiful<1277>.
17Will they therefore<5921><3651> empty<7385> their net<2764> And continually<8548> slay<2026> nations<1471> without<3808> sparing<2550>?