1 ¶ The burden which Habakkuk the prophet saw.

2 O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear; and raise my voice unto thee because of the violence, and thou wilt not save?

3 W hy dost thou cause me to see iniquity and cause me to behold grievance and destruction and violence before me, in addition to those that raise up strife and contention?

4 T herefore the law is weakened, and the judgment does not go forth true: for the wicked compasses about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceeds.

5 ¶ Behold among the Gentiles and regard and wonder marvelously, for a work shall be done in your days which ye will not believe, though it be told you.

6 F or, behold, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which march through the breadth of the earth to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs.

7 S he is terrible and dreadful: from her herself shall go forth their rights and their grandeur.

8 T heir horses shall be swifter than tigers and are sharper than the evening wolves, and their horsemen shall multiply themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as eagles that hasten to eat.

9 A ll of her shall come for the prey, before their faces an east wind, and they shall gather the captives as the sand.

10 A nd he shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a scorn unto him, he shall deride every fortress and shall heap dust and take it.

11 T hen he shall become arrogant against God, and he shall pass ahead and shall be found guilty, imputing this his power unto his god.

12 ¶ Art thou not from the beginning, O LORD my God, my Holy One? we shall not die, O LORD, thou hast ordained him for judgment, and thou hast established him strong for chastisement.

13 T hou art of purer eyes than to behold evil and canst not look on iniquity: why dost thou look upon those that deal treacherously and hold thy tongue when the wicked devour the man that is more righteous than he?

14 A nd dost make men as the fishes of the sea, as reptiles that have no lord?

15 H e shall take up all of them with his hook; he shall catch them in his net and gather them in his drag: therefore, he shall rejoice and be glad.

16 T herefore, he shall sacrifice unto his net and burn incense unto his drag because by them his portion is fat, and his food plenteous.

17 S hall he therefore empty his net, or have pity to stop slaying Gentiles continually?