Habakkuk 1

1The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.

1This is the message that Habakkuk the prophet received in a vision.

2O Jehovah, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear? I cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save.

2O LORD, how long must I call for help and you do not listen? I cry out to you about the violence around me, but you do not save us.

3Why dost thou show me iniquity, and look upon perverseness? for destruction and violence are before me; and there is strife, and contention riseth up.

3Why do you make me look at such injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong? Destruction and violence are right in front of me; there is fighting and conflict everywhere.

4Therefore the law is slacked, and justice doth never go forth; for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore justice goeth forth perverted.

4Because of this, the law has become weak and justice is never carried out. The wicked surround the righteous, so that justice is twisted and perverted.

5Behold ye among the nations, and look, and wonder marvellously; for I am working a work in your days, which ye will not believe though it be told you.

5Look at the nations and watch! Be totally amazed and shocked. For I am going to do something in your own days that you would not believe, even if someone told you about it.

6For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, that march through the breadth of the earth, to possess dwelling-places that are not theirs.

6I am raising up the Babylonians, that cruel and impulsive nation. They march across the whole earth to take over land and homes that do not belong to them.

7They are terrible and dreadful; their judgment and their dignity proceed from themselves.

7They are a terrifying and fearsome people. They are a law unto themselves and make their own rules to advance their own honor.

8Their horses also are swifter than leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves; and their horsemen press proudly on: yea, their horsemen come from far; they fly as an eagle that hasteth to devour.

8Their horses are faster than leopards and more ferocious than wolves at hungry at dusk. Their cavalry charges ahead; their riders come from far away. They fly like an eagle diving to catch its prey.

9They come all of them for violence; the set of their faces is forwards; and they gather captives as the sand.

9They all come intent on violence. Their armies advance like a desert wind, gathering prisoners as countless as the sand.

10Yea, he scoffeth at kings, and princes are a derision unto him; he derideth every stronghold; for he heapeth up dust, and taketh it.

10They mock kings and laugh at rulers. They laugh at every fortified city, for they simply build a dirt ramp and capture it.

11Then shall he sweep by as a wind, and shall pass over, and be guilty, even he whose might is his god.

11Then they sweep past like the wind and move on. They are guilty people whose own strength is their god.

12Art not thou from everlasting, O Jehovah my God, my Holy One? we shall not die. O Jehovah, thou hast ordained him for judgment; and thou, O Rock, hast established him for correction.

12O LORD, are you not from everlasting? My God, my Holy One, we will not die. LORD, you have appointed these Babylonians to execute judgment; O Rock, you have destined them to punish us.

13Thou that art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and that canst not look on perverseness, wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy peace when the wicked swalloweth up the man that is more righteous than he;

13Your eyes are too pure to look at evil; you cannot tolerate wrong. Why then do you put up with these treacherous people? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?

14and makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?

14You have made people like the fish in the sea, like crawling sea creatures that have no leader to protect them.

15He taketh up all of them with the angle, he catcheth them in his net, and gathereth them in his drag: therefore he rejoiceth and is glad.

15The enemy pulls everyone up with a hook; he catches them in his net and drags them away in his fishing net. This is why he is so happy and full of joy.

16Therefore he sacrificeth unto his net, and burneth incense unto his drag; because by them his portion is fat, and his food plenteous.

16He even offers sacrifices to his net and burns incense to his fishing gear, because they have made him rich and given him the best food.

17Shall he therefore empty his net, and spare not to slay the nations continually?

17Is he going to keep on emptying his net forever? Will he continue to kill nations without showing any mercy?