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 Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even 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 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.

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 judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.

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 heathen, and regard, and wonder marvelously: for I will work 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, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not their's.

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

They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of 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 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.

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

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.

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.

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 his mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend, imputing this his power unto 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 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.

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 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?

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.

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.

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 they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous.

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

Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations?