1I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.2And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.3For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.4Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.5Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people:6Shall 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 to him that ladeth himself with thick clay!7Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them?8Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee; because of men' blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein.9Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil!10Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul.11For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it.12Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablisheth a city by iniquity!13Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity?14For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.15Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him , and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!16Thou art filled with shame for glory: drink thou also, and let thy foreskin be uncovered: the cup of the LORD' right hand shall be turned unto thee, and shameful spewing shall be on thy glory.17For the violence of Lebanon shall cover thee, and the spoil of beasts, which made them afraid, because of men' blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein.18What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols?19Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it.20But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.
Habbakuk 2
English Standard Version
1I will take my stand at my watchpost and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint. (Ps 85:8; Isa 21:8; Jer 6:17; Eze 33:2)
The Righteous Shall Live by His Faith
2And the Lord answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. (Isa 8:1; Isa 30:8; Re 1:19)3For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay. (Isa 8:17; Eze 7:5; Da 10:14; Zep 3:8; Heb 10:37; 2Pe 3:9)4“Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith.[1] (Joh 3:36; Ro 1:17; Ga 3:11; Heb 10:38)5“Moreover, wine[2] is a traitor, an arrogant man who is never at rest.[3] His greed is as wide as Sheol; like death he has never enough. He gathers for himself all nations and collects as his own all peoples.” (Pr 27:20; Isa 21:2; Jer 27:7; Da 2:37; Hab 1:6; Hab 1:13)
Woe to the Chaldeans
6Shall not all these take up their taunt against him, with scoffing and riddles for him, and say, “Woe to him who heaps up what is not his own— for how long?— and loads himself with pledges!” (Nu 23:7; Isa 5:8; Eze 18:7; Mic 2:4; Hab 1:6; Hab 2:19; Zec 1:12)7Will not your debtors suddenly arise, and those awake who will make you tremble? Then you will be spoil for them. (Isa 21:5)8Because you have plundered many nations, all the remnant of the peoples shall plunder you, for the blood of man and violence to the earth, to cities and all who dwell in them. (Isa 33:1; Hab 2:17)9“Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house, to set his nest on high, to be safe from the reach of harm! (Nu 24:21; Isa 14:13; Jer 49:16; Hab 2:6)10You have devised shame for your house by cutting off many peoples; you have forfeited your life. (Hab 1:17)11For the stone will cry out from the wall, and the beam from the woodwork respond. (Lu 19:40)12“Woe to him who builds a town with blood and founds a city on iniquity! (Mic 3:10; Hab 2:6)13Behold, is it not from the Lord of hosts that peoples labor merely for fire, and nations weary themselves for nothing? (Jer 51:58)14For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. (Ps 72:19; Isa 11:9)15“Woe to him who makes his neighbors drink— you pour out your wrath and make them drunk, in order to gaze at their nakedness! (Ge 9:22; Jer 51:7; La 4:21; Hab 2:5; Hab 2:6)16You will have your fill of shame instead of glory. Drink, yourself, and show your uncircumcision! The cup in the Lord’s right hand will come around to you, and utter shame will come upon your glory! (Jer 25:15; Jer 25:26; Na 3:5; Na 3:6)17The violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, as will the destruction of the beasts that terrified them, for the blood of man and violence to the earth, to cities and all who dwell in them. (Isa 14:8; Jer 22:23; Hab 2:8)18“What profit is an idol when its maker has shaped it, a metal image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation when he makes speechless idols! (Ps 115:5; Isa 44:10; Jer 10:8; Jer 10:14; Zec 10:2; 1Co 12:2)19Woe to him who says to a wooden thing, Awake; to a silent stone, Arise! Can this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in it. (1Ki 18:26; Ps 135:17; Jer 10:14; Hab 2:6; Hab 2:9; Hab 2:12; Hab 2:15)20But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.” (Ps 11:4; Mic 1:2; Zep 1:7; Zec 2:13)