Habakkuk 1 Parallel Bible Translations

Habakkuk 1 ▼
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1 The oracle (a burdensome message—a pronouncement from God) which Habakkuk the prophet saw. The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw. The prophecy that Habakkuk the prophet received.
2 O LORD, how long will I call for help And You will not hear? I cry out to You, “Violence!” Yet You do not save. O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save? How long, LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save?
3 Why do You make me see iniquity, And cause me to look on wickedness? For destruction and violence are before me; Strife continues and contention arises. Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds.
4 Therefore, the law is ineffective and ignored And justice is never upheld, For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore, justice becomes perverted. So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.
5 [The LORD replied,] “Look among the nations! See! Be astonished! Wonder! For I am doing something in your days— You would not believe it if you were told. “Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told. “Look at the nations and watch— and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.
6 “For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans [who rule in Babylon], That fierce and impetuous nation Who march throughout the earth To take possession of dwelling places that do not belong to them. For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize dwellings not their own. I am raising up the Babylonians, that ruthless and impetuous people, who sweep across the whole earth to seize dwellings not their own.
7 “The Chaldeans are dreaded and feared; Their justice and authority originate with themselves and are defined only by their decree. They are dreaded and fearsome; their justice and dignity go forth from themselves. They are a feared and dreaded people; they are a law to themselves and promote their own honor.
8 “Their horses are swifter than leopards And keener than [hungry] wolves in the evening, Their horsemen come galloping, Their horsemen come from far away; They fly like an eagle swooping down to devour. Their horses are swifter than leopards, more fierce than the evening wolves; their horsemen press proudly on. Their horsemen come from afar; they fly like an eagle swift to devour. Their horses are swifter than leopards, fiercer than wolves at dusk. Their cavalry gallops headlong; their horsemen come from afar. They fly like an eagle swooping to devour;
9 “They all come for violence; Their horde of faces moves [eagerly] forward, They gather prisoners like sand. They all come for violence, all their faces forward. They gather captives like sand. they all come intent on violence. Their hordes advance like a desert wind and gather prisoners like sand.
10 “They make fun of kings And rulers are a laughing matter to them. They ridicule every stronghold And heap up rubble [for earth mounds] and capture it. At kings they scoff, and at rulers they laugh. They laugh at every fortress, for they pile up earth and take it. They mock kings and scoff at rulers. They laugh at all fortified cities; by building earthen ramps they capture them.
11 “Then they will sweep by like the wind and pass on. But they will be held guilty, They [and all men] whose own power and strength is their god.” Then they sweep by like the wind and go on, guilty men, whose own might is their god!” Then they sweep past like the wind and go on— guilty people, whose own strength is their god.”
12 Are You not from everlasting, O LORD, my God, My Holy One? We will not die. O LORD, You have appointed the Chaldeans [who rule in Babylon] to execute [Your] judgment, And You, O Rock, have established them to correct and chastise. Are you not from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O LORD, you have ordained them as a judgment, and you, O Rock, have established them for reproof. LORD, are you not from everlasting? My God, my Holy One, you will never die. You, LORD, have appointed them to execute judgment; you, my Rock, have ordained them to punish.
13 Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, And You cannot look favorably on wickedness. Why then do You look favorably On those who act treacherously? Why are you silent when the wicked (Chaldean oppressors) destroy Those more righteous than they? You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong, why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he? Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrongdoing. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?
14 Why do You make men like the fish of the sea, Like reptiles and creeping things that have no ruler [and are helpless against their enemies]? You make mankind like the fish of the sea, like crawling things that have no ruler. You have made people like the fish in the sea, like the sea creatures that have no ruler.
15 The Chaldeans bring all of them up with a hook, And drag them away with a net, And gather them together in their fishing net; So they rejoice and are glad. He brings all of them up with a hook; he drags them out with his net; he gathers them in his dragnet; so he rejoices and is glad. The wicked foe pulls all of them up with hooks, he catches them in his net, he gathers them up in his dragnet; and so he rejoices and is glad.
16 Therefore, they offer sacrifices to their net And burn incense to their fishing net; Because through these things their catch is large and they live luxuriously, And their food is plentiful. Therefore he sacrifices to his net and makes offerings to his dragnet; for by them he lives in luxury, and his food is rich. Therefore he sacrifices to his net and burns incense to his dragnet, for by his net he lives in luxury and enjoys the choicest food.
17 Will they continue to empty their net And [mercilessly] go on destroying nations without sparing? Is he then to keep on emptying his net and mercilessly killing nations forever? Is he to keep on emptying his net, destroying nations without mercy?
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