1 T he burden or oracle (the thing to be lifted up) which Habakkuk the prophet saw.

The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.

2 O Lord, how long shall I cry for help and You will not hear? Or cry out to You of violence and You will not save?

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

3 W hy do You show me iniquity and wrong, and Yourself look upon or cause me to see perverseness and trouble? For destruction and violence are before me; and there is strife, and contention arises.

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

4 T herefore the law is slackened and justice and a righteous sentence never go forth, for the wicked surrounds the righteous; therefore justice goes forth perverted.

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

5 L ook around among the nations and see! And be astonished! Astounded! For I am putting into effect a work in your days that you would not believe it if it were told you.

Behold 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.

6 F or behold, I am rousing up the Chaldeans, that bitter and impetuous nation who march through the breadth of the earth to take possession of dwelling places that do not belong to them.

For, 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.

7 a re terrible and dreadful; their justice and dignity proceed from themselves.

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

8 T heir horses also are swifter than leopards and are fiercer than the evening wolves, and their horsemen spread themselves and press on proudly; yes, their horsemen come from afar; they fly like an eagle that hastens to devour.

Their 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.

9 T hey all come for violence; their faces turn eagerly forward, and they gather prisoners together like sand.

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

10 T hey scoff at kings, and rulers are a derision to them; they ridicule every stronghold, for they heap up dust and take it.

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

11 T hen they sweep by like a wind and pass on, and they load themselves with guilt, whose own power is their god.

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

12 A re not You from everlasting, O Lord my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O Lord, You have appointed to execute judgment, and You, O Rock, have established him for chastisement and correction.

Art 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.

13 Y ou are of purer eyes than to behold evil and can not look upon injustice. Why then do You look upon the plunderer? Why are you silent when the wicked one destroys him who is more righteous than is?

Thou 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;

14 W hy do You make men like the fish of the sea, like reptiles and creeping things that have no ruler ?

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

15 b rings all of them up with his hook; he catches and drags them out with his net, he gathers them in his dragnet; so he rejoices and is in high spirits.

He 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.

16 T herefore he sacrifices to his net and burns incense to his dragnet, because from them he lives luxuriously and his food is plentiful and rich.

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

17 S hall he therefore continue to empty his net and mercilessly go on slaying the nations forever?

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