The Prophet Habakkuk

⭑ Unlocked Literal Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 2 -

I will stand at my guard post and station myself on the watchtower, and I will watch carefully to see what he will say to me and how I should turn from my complaint.

Yahweh answered me and said, “Record this vision, and write plainly on the tablets so that the one reading them might run.

For the vision is yet for a future time and will finally speak and not fail. Though it delays, wait for it. For it will surely come and will not tarry.

Look! The one whose desires are not right within him is puffed-up. But the righteous will live by his faith.

For wine is a betrayer of the arrogant young man so that he will not abide, but enlarges his desire like the grave and, like death, is never satisfied. He gathers to himself every nation and gathers up for himself all of the peoples.

Woe to the Chaldeans

Will not all these create a saying to ridicule him and a taunting song about him, saying, ‘Woe to the one increasing what is not his! For how long will you increase the weight of the pledges you have taken?’

Will the ones biting at you not rise up suddenly, and the ones terrifying you awaken? You will become a victim for them.

Because you have plundered many peoples, all the remnant of the peoples will plunder you. For you have shed human blood and acted with violence against the land, the cities, and all who live in them.

’Woe to the one who carves out evil gains for his house, so he can set his nest on high to keep himself safe from the hand of evil.’

You have devised shame for your house by cutting off many people, and have sinned against yourself.

For the stones will cry out from the wall, and the rafters of timber will answer them,

‘Woe to the one who builds a city with blood, and who establishes a town in iniquity.’

Is it not from Yahweh of hosts that peoples labor for fire and all the other nations weary themselves for nothing?

Yet the land will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Yahweh as the waters cover the sea.

’Woe to the one making his neighbor drink, you who add your poison until you make them drunk so you can look on their nakedness.’

You will be gorged with shame rather than glory. Drink of it also, and reveal your own nakedness. The cup of Yahweh’s right hand will come in its turn to you, and disgrace will cover your honor.

The violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you and the destruction of animals will terrify you. For you have shed human blood and you have acted with violence against the land, the cities, and all who live in them.

What does the carved figure profit you? For the one who has carved it, or who casts a figure from molten metal, is a teacher of lies; for he trusts his own handiwork when he makes these mute gods.

‘Woe to the one saying to the wood, Wake up! Or to the silent stone, Arise!’ Do these things teach? See, it is overlaid with gold and silver, but there is no breath at all within it.

But Yahweh is in his holy temple! Be silent before him, all the land.”

I will stand at my watch and set myself on the ramparts, and will look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint.

The LORD answered me, “Write the vision, and make it plain on tablets, that he who runs may read it.

For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it hurries toward the end, and won’t prove false. Though it takes time, wait for it, because it will surely come. It won’t delay.

Behold, his soul is puffed up. It is not upright in him, but the righteous will live by his faith.

Yes, moreover, wine is treacherous: an arrogant man who doesn’t stay at home, who enlarges his desire as Sheol;(a) he is like death and can’t be satisfied, but gathers to himself all nations and heaps to himself all peoples.

Woe to the Chaldeans

Won’t all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, ‘Woe to him who increases that which is not his, and who enriches himself by extortion! How long?’

Won’t your debtors rise up suddenly, and wake up those who make you tremble, and you will be their victim?

Because you have plundered many nations, all the remnant of the peoples will plunder you because of men’s blood, and for the violence done to the land, to the city and to all who dwell in it.

Woe to him who gets an evil gain for his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the hand of evil!

You have devised shame to your house by cutting off many peoples, and have sinned against your soul.

For the stone will cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the woodwork will answer it.

Woe to him who builds a town with blood, and establishes a city by iniquity!

Behold, isn’t it from the LORD of Armies that the peoples labor for the fire, and the nations weary themselves for vanity?

For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD’s glory, as the waters cover the sea.

“Woe to him who gives his neighbor drink, pouring your inflaming wine until they are drunk, so that you may gaze at their naked bodies!

You are filled with shame, and not glory. You will also drink and be exposed! The cup of the LORD’s right hand will come around to you, and disgrace will cover your glory.

For the violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, and the destruction of the animals will terrify you, because of men’s blood and for the violence done to the land, to every city and to those who dwell in them.

“What value does the engraved image have, that its maker has engraved it; the molten image, even the teacher of lies, that he who fashions its form trusts in it, to make mute idols?

Woe to him who says to the wood, ‘Awake!’ or to the mute stone, ‘Arise!’ Shall this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all within it.

But the LORD is in his holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before him!”

Footnotes

(a)2:5 Sheol is the place of the dead.