Habakkuk 2
1 I will stand at my watch post;
I will remain stationed on the city wall.s
I will keep watching, so I can see what he says to me
and can knowt how I should answer
when he counters my argument.t
The Lord Assures Habakkuk
2 The Lord responded:t
“Write down this message!t Record it legibly on tablets,
so the one who announcest it may read it easily.t
3 For the message is a witness to what is decreed;t
it gives reliable testimony about how matters will turn out.t
Even if the messaget is not fulfilled right away, wait patiently;t
for it will certainly come to pass – it will not arrive late.
4 Look, the one whose desires are not upright will faint from exhaustion,t
but the person of integrityt will livet because of his faithfulness.t
5 Indeed, wine will betray the proud, restless man!ts
His appetitet is as big as Sheol’s;s
like death, he is never satisfied.
He gatherst all the nations;
he seizest all peoples.
The Proud Babylonians are as Good as Dead
6 “But all these nations will someday taunt himt
and ridicule him with proverbial sayings:t
‘The one who accumulates what does not belong to him is as good as deadt
(How long will this go on?)t –
he who gets rich by extortion!’t
7 Your creditors will suddenly attack;ts
those who terrify you will spring into action,t
and they will rob you.t
8 Because you robbed many countries,t
all who are left among the nationst will rob you.
You have shed human blood
and committed violent acts against lands, cities,t and those who live in them.
9 The one who builds his house by unjust gain is as good as dead.t
He does this so he can build his nest way up high
and escape the clutches of disaster.ts
10 Your schemes will bring shame to your house.
Because you destroyed many nations, you will self-destruct.t
11 For the stones in the walls will cry out,
and the wooden rafters will answer back.s
12 The one who builds a city by bloodshed is as good as deadt –
he who startst a town by unjust deeds.
13 Be sure of this! The Lord who commands armies has decreed:
The nations’ efforts will go up in smoke;
their exhausting work will be for nothing.t
14 For recognition of the Lord’s sovereign majesty will fill the earth
just as the waters fill up the sea.t
15 “You who force your neighbor to drink winet are as good as deadt –
you who make others intoxicated by forcing them to drink from the bowl of your furious anger,ss
so you can look at their genitals.ts
16 But you will become drunkt with shame, not majesty.t
Now it is your turn to drink and expose your uncircumcised foreskin!s
The cup of wine in the Lord’s right hands is coming to you,
and disgrace will replace your majestic glory!
17 For you will pay in full for your violent acts against Lebanon;t
terrifying judgment will come upon you because of the way you destroyed the wild animals living there.ss
You have shed human blood
and committed violent acts against lands, cities, and those who live in them.
18 What goodt is an idol? Why would a craftsman make it?t
What good is a metal image that gives misleading oracles?t
Why would its creator place his trust in itt
and maket such mute, worthless things?
19 The one who says to wood, ‘Wake up!’ is as good as deadt –
he who sayst to speechless stone, ‘Awake!’
Can it give reliable guidance?t
It is overlaid with gold and silver;
it has no life’s breath inside it.
20 But the Lord is in his majestic palace.t
The whole earth is speechless in his presence!”t
HABAKKUK 2
The [Lord] Answers //Habakkuk Again
1 While standing guard
on the watchtower,
I waited for the [Lord]'s answer,
before explaining the reason
for my complaint.t
2 Then the [Lord] told me:
“I will give you my message
in the form of a vision.
Write it clearly enough
to be read at a glance.
3 t At the time I have decided,
my words will come true.
You can trust what I say
about the future.
It may take a long time,
but keep on waiting—
it will happen!
4 t “I, the [Lord], refuse to accept
anyone who is proud.
Only those who live by faith
are acceptable to me.”tTrouble for Evil People
5 Winet is treacherous,
and arrogant people
are never satisfied.
They are no less greedy
than death itself—
they open their mouths as wide
as the world of the dead
and swallow everyone.
6 But they will be mocked
with these words:
You're doomed!
You stored up stolen goods
and cheated others
of what belonged to them.
7 But without warning,
those you owe
will demand payment.
Then you will become
a frightened victim.
8 You robbed cities and nations
everywhere on earth
and murdered their people.
Now those who survived
will be as cruel to you.
9 You're doomed!
You made your family rich
at the expense of others.
You even said to yourself,
“I'm above the law.”
10 But you will bring shame
on your family
and ruin to yourself
for what you did to others.
11 The very stones and wood
in your home
will testify against you.
12 You're doomed! You built a city
on crime and violence.
13 t But the [Lord] All-Powerful
sends up in flames
what nations and people
work so hard to gain.
14 t Just as water fills the sea,
the land will be filled
with people who know
and honor the [Lord].
15 You're doomed!
You get your friends drunk,
just to see them naked.
16 Now you will be disgraced
instead of praised.
The [Lord] will make you drunk,
and when others see you naked,
you will lose their respect.
17 You destroyed trees and animals
on Mount Lebanon;
you were ruthless to towns
and people everywhere.
Now you will be terrorized.Idolatry Is Foolish
18 What is an idol worth?
It's merely a false god.
Why trust a speechless image
made from wood or metal
by human hands?
19 What can you learn from idols
covered with silver or gold?
They can't even breathe.
Pity anyone who says to an idol
of wood or stone,
“Get up and do something!”
20 Let all the world be silent—
the [Lord] is present
in his holy temple.