Habakkuk 2

1 I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will look forth to see what he will speak with me, and what I shall answer concerning my complaint.2 And Jehovah answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tablets, that he may run that readeth it.3 For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it hasteth toward the end, and shall not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not delay.4 Behold, his soul is puffed up, it is not upright in him; but the righteous shall live by his faith.5 Yea, moreover, wine is treacherous, a haughty man, that keepeth not at home; who enlargeth his desire as Sheol, and he is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all peoples.6 Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and that ladeth himself with pledges!7 Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booty unto them?8 Because thou hast plundered many nations, all the remnant of the peoples shall plunder thee, because of men’s blood, and for the violence done to the land, to the city and to all that dwell therein.9 Woe to him that getteth an evil gain for his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the hand of evil!10 Thou hast devised shame to thy house, by cutting off many peoples, and hast sinned against thy soul.11 For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it.12 Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and establisheth a city by iniquity!13 Behold, is it not of Jehovah of hosts that the peoples labor for the fire, and the nations weary themselves for vanity?14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea.15 Woe unto him that giveth his neighbor drink, to thee that addest thy venom, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!16 Thou art filled with shame, and not glory: drink thou also, and be as one uncircumcised; the cup of Jehovah’s right hand shall come round unto thee, and foul shame shall be upon thy glory.17 For the violence done to Lebanon shall cover thee, and the destruction of the beasts, which made them afraid; because of men’s blood, and for the violence done to the land, to the city and to all that dwell therein.18 What profiteth the graven image, that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, even the teacher of lies, that he that fashioneth its form trusteth therein, to make dumb idols?19 Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise! Shall this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it.20 But Jehovah is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.

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.”t

Trouble 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.