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

«En mi puesto de guardia estaré, sobre la fortaleza afirmaré el pie. Velaré para ver lo que se me dirá y qué he de responder tocante a mi queja.

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.

»Jehová me respondió y dijo: “Escribe la visión, grábala en tablas, para que pueda leerse de corrido.

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.

Aunque la visión tarda en cumplirse, se cumplirá a su tiempo, no fallará. Aunque tarde, espérala, porque sin duda 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

Aquel cuya alma no es recta se enorgullece; 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 que es dado al vino es traicionero, hombre orgulloso, que no prosperará; ensancha como el seol su garganta y es insaciable como la muerte, aunque reúna para sí todas las naciones y acapare 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 entonarán todos estos contra él refranes y sarcasmos? Dirán: “¡Ay del que multiplicó lo que no era suyo! ¿Hasta cuándo seguirá acumulando prenda tras prenda?”

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 deudores y se despertarán los que te harán temblar? Tú serás como 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.

Por cuanto has despojado a muchas naciones, todos los otros pueblos te despojarán a ti, a causa de la sangre de los hombres, y de las violencias hechas a la tierra, a las ciudades y a todos los que en ellas habitaban.

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 codicia injusta ganancia para su casa, para poner en alto su nido, para escaparse del poder del mal!

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

Tomaste consejo vergonzoso para tu casa, asolaste muchos pueblos y has pecado contra tu vida.

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

Porque la piedra clamará desde el muro y la tabla del enmaderado le responderá.

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

»¡Ay del que edifica con sangre la ciudad y del que la funda sobre la maldad!

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 esto de Jehová de los ejércitos? Los pueblos, pues, trabajarán para el fuego, y las naciones se fatigarán en vano.

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

Porque la tierra se llenará del conocimiento de la gloria de Jehová, 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 le acercas tu hiel y lo embriagas para mirar 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.

Te has llenado de deshonra más que de honra; bebe tú también y serás descubierto; el cáliz de la mano derecha de Jehová vendrá hasta ti y convertirá en humillación 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 rapiña del Líbano caerá sobre ti y la destrucción de las fieras te quebrantará, a causa de la sangre de los hombres, y de las violencias hechas a la tierra, a las ciudades y a todos los que en ellas habitaban.

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 la escultura que esculpió el que la hizo, la estatua de fundición que enseña mentira, para que el artífice confíe en su obra haciendo imágenes mudas?

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 palo: “Despiértate”; y a la piedra muda: “Levántate”! ¿Podrán acaso enseñar? Aunque está cubierto de oro y plata, no hay espíritu dentro de él.

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

Mas Jehová está en su santo Templo: ¡calle delante de él toda la tierra!»