Habakkuk 1
1
Habakkuk complains, and the Lord answers
1I am Habakkuk the prophet. And this is the message#1.1 message: Or “vision”. that the LORD gave me.
Habakkuk complains to the LORD
2Our LORD, how long must I beg
for your help
before you listen?
How long before you save us
from all this violence?
3Why do you make me watch
such terrible injustice?
Why do you allow violence,
lawlessness, crime, and cruelty
to spread everywhere?
4Laws cannot be enforced;
justice is always the loser;
criminals crowd out honest people
and twist the laws around.
The LORD answers Habakkuk
5Look and be amazed#Ac 13.41.
at what's happening
among the nations!
Even if you were told,
you would never believe
what's taking place now.
6I am sending the Babylonians.#2 K 24.2.
They are fierce and cruel—
marching across the land,
conquering cities and towns.
7How fearsome and frightening.
Their only laws and rules
are the ones they make up.
8Their cavalry troops are faster
than leopards,
more ferocious than wolves
hunting at sunset,
and swifter than hungry eagles
suddenly swooping down.
9They are eager to destroy,#1.9 eager to destroy: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
and they gather captives
like handfuls of sand.
10They make fun of rulers
and laugh at fortresses,
while building earth mounds
so they can capture cities.#1.10 earth mounds…cities: Attacking armies often build earth mounds against city walls to make it easier for them to climb the wall and capture the city.
11Then suddenly they disappear
like a gust of wind—
those sinful people who worship
their own strength.
Habakkuk complains again
12Holy LORD God, mighty rock,#1.12 mighty rock: The Hebrew text has “rock”, which is sometimes used in poetry to compare the LORD to a mountain where his people can run for protection from their enemies.
you are eternal,
and we#1.12 we: Hebrew; one ancient Jewish tradition “you”. are safe from death.
You are using those Babylonians
to judge and punish others.#1.12 You…others: Or “You will judge and punish those Babylonians.”
13But you can't stand sin or wrong.
So don't sit by in silence
while they gobble up people
who are better than they are.
14The people you put on this earth
are like fish or reptiles
without a leader.
15Then an enemy comes along
and takes them captive
with hooks and nets.
It makes him so happy
16that he offers sacrifices
to his fishing nets,
because they make him rich
and provide choice foods.
17Will he keep hauling in his nets
and destroying nations
without showing mercy?
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Habakkuk 1: CEVUK
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© British and Foreign Bible Society 2012
Havakuk (Hab) 1
1
1This is the prophecy which Havakuk the prophet saw:
2Adonai, how long must I cry
without your hearing?
“Violence!” I cry to you,
but you don’t save.
3Why do you make me see wrongdoing,
why do you permit oppression?
Pillage and cruelty confront me,
so that strife and discord prevail.
4Therefore Torah is not followed;
justice never gets rendered,
because the wicked fence in the righteous.
This is why justice comes out perverted.
5“Look around among the nations!
What you see will completely astound you!
For what is going to be done in your days
you will not believe, even when you are told.
6I am raising up the Kasdim,
that bitter and impetuous nation,
who march far and wide over the earth
to seize homes that are not their own.
7Fearsome and dreadful they are;
their rules and strength come from themselves.
8Their horses are swifter than leopards,
fiercer than wolves at night.
Their cavalry gallop in from afar,
flying like vultures rushing to feed.
9All of them come for violence,
their faces set eagerly forward,
scooping up captives like sand.
10They scoff at kings;
princes they deride.
They laugh at any fortress;
they pile up earth and take it.
11Then they sweep on like the wind,
but they become guilty,
because they make their strength their god.”
12Adonai, haven’t you existed forever?
My God, my holy one, we will not die.
Adonai, you appointed them to execute judgment.
Rock, you commissioned them to correct us.
13Your eyes are too pure to see evil,
you cannot countenance oppression.
So why do you countenance traitors?
Why are you silent when evil people
swallow up those more righteous than they?
14You make people like fish in the sea,
like reptiles that have no ruler.
15The evil haul them all up with their hooks,
catch them in their fish net,
or gather them in their dragnet.
Then they rejoice and make merry,
16offering sacrifices to their fishnet
and burning incense to their dragnet;
because through them they live in luxury,
with plenty of food to eat.
17Should they, therefore, keep emptying their nets?
Should they keep slaughtering the nations without pity?
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