1 I will take my stand and keep watch. I will take my place on the tower. And I will keep watch to see what the Lord will say, and how I should answer when He speaks strong words to me. The Lord’s Answer to Habakkuk

Estaré en mi puesto de guardia, Y sobre la fortaleza me pondré; Velaré para ver lo que El me dice, Y qué he de responder cuando sea reprendido. Respuesta de Dios

2 T hen the Lord answered me and said, “Write down the special dream on stone so that one may read it in a hurry.

Entonces el Señor me respondió: “Escribe la visión y grába la en tablas, Para que corra el que la lea.

3 F or it is not yet time for it to come true. The time is coming in a hurry, and it will come true. If you think it is slow in coming, wait for it. For it will happen for sure, and it will not wait.

Porque es aún visión para el tiempo señalado; Se apresura hacia el fin y no defraudará. Aunque tarde, espérala; Porque ciertamente vendrá, no tardará.

4 A s for the proud one, his soul is not right in him. But the one who is right and good will live by his faith. It Is Bad for the Wrong-Doers

Así es el orgulloso: En él, su alma no es recta, Mas el justo por su fe vivirá.

5 “ Also, wine fools the proud man, so he does not stay at home. He is like the grave who always wants more. Like death, he never has enough. He gathers all nations for himself, and gathers all people for his own.

Además, el vino traiciona al hombre arrogante, De modo que no se queda en casa. Porque ensancha su garganta como el Seol (región de los muertos), Y es como la muerte, que nunca se sacia; Reúne para sí todas las naciones, Y recoge para sí todos los pueblos.

6 “ Will not all these people make fun of him and say, ‘It is bad for him who gathers what is not his and makes himself rich with other people’s money. How long will this go on?’

¿No pronunciarán todos éstos contra él una sátira, Y burlas e intrigas contra él? Y dirán: ‘¡Ay del que aumenta lo que no es suyo ¿hasta cuándo? Y se hace rico con préstamos!’

7 W ill not those to whom you owe money rise up all at once? Will they not wake up and make you afraid? Then they will take what belongs to you.

¿No se levantarán de repente tus acreedores, Y se despertarán tus cobradores? Ciertamente serás despojo para ellos.

8 B ecause you have robbed many nations, the rest of them will rob you. For you have killed men. You have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.

Porque tú has despojado a muchas naciones, Todos los demás pueblos te despojarán a ti, Por la sangre humana y la violencia hecha a la tierra, Al pueblo y a todos sus habitantes.

9 “ It is bad for him who builds his house by sinful ways, to put his nest in a high place to be safe from trouble!

¡Ay del que obtiene ganancias ilícitas para su casa, Para poner en alto su nido, Para librarse de la mano de la calamidad!

10 Y ou have brought shame upon your house by destroying many nations. You are sinning against yourself.

Has tramado cosa vergonzosa para tu casa, Destruyendo a muchos pueblos, Pecando contra ti mismo.

11 T he stone will cry out from the wall, and the roof will answer it from the wood.

Ciertamente la piedra clamará desde el muro, Y la viga le contestará desde el armazón.

12 “ It is bad for him who builds a city with blood, and builds a town with wrong-doing!

¡Ay del que edifica una ciudad con sangre Y funda un pueblo con violencia!

13 I s it not the will of the All-powerful Lord that people work for what will burn up and nations make themselves tired for nothing?

¿No viene del Señor de los ejércitos Que los pueblos trabajen para el fuego Y las naciones se fatiguen en vano?

14 F or the earth will be filled with knowing of the Lord’s shining-greatness, as the waters cover the sea.

Pues la tierra se llenará Del conocimiento de la gloria del Señor Como las aguas cubren el mar.

15 “ It is bad for him who makes his neighbors drink, mixing in his poison to make them drunk, so he can look on their shame!

¡Ay del que da de beber a su prójimo! ¡ Ay de ti que mezclas tu veneno hasta embriagar lo, Para contemplar su desnudez!

16 Y ou will be filled with shame instead of honor. Now you yourself drink and let your own shame be seen. The cup in the Lord’s right hand will come around to you, and your greatness will turn to shame.

Serás saciado de deshonra más que de gloria. Bebe tú también y muestra tu desnudez. Se volverá sobre ti la copa de la diestra del Señor, Y la ignominia sobre tu gloria.

17 T he bad things you have done to Lebanon will come back to you. Because you have killed its animals, now they will make you afraid. This will happen because of all the killing you have done. You have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.

Porque la violencia contra el Líbano te cubrirá, Y el exterminio de las fieras te aterrará, A causa del derramamiento de sangre humana y la violencia hecha a la tierra, A la ciudad y a todos los que habitan en ella.

18 “ Of what worth is a false god when a workman has made it? Of what worth is an object of worship, a teacher of lies? For the workman trusts in his own work when he makes these false gods that cannot speak.

¿De qué sirve el ídolo que su artífice ha esculpido, O la imagen fundida, maestra de mentiras, Para que su hacedor confíe en su obra Cuando hace ídolos mudos ?

19 I t is bad for him who says to a piece of wood, ‘Wake up!’ or to a stone that cannot speak, ‘Get up!’ Can this teach you? See, it is covered with gold and silver. There is no breath in it.

¡Ay del que dice al madero: ‘Despierta,’ O a la piedra muda: ‘Levántate!’ ¿Será esto tu maestro? Mira que está cubierto de oro y plata, Y no hay aliento alguno en su interior.

20 B ut the Lord is in His holy house. Let all the earth be quiet before Him.”

Pero el Señor está en Su santo templo: Calle delante de El toda la tierra.”