Habakkuk 2:19
Modern Translations
New International Version
Woe to him who says to wood, 'Come to life!' Or to lifeless stone, 'Wake up!' Can it give guidance? It is covered with gold and silver; there is no breath in it."

New Living Translation
What sorrow awaits you who say to wooden idols, ‘Wake up and save us!’ To speechless stone images you say, ‘Rise up and teach us!’ Can an idol tell you what to do? They may be overlaid with gold and silver, but they are lifeless inside.

English Standard Version
Woe 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.

Berean Study Bible
Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Awake!’ or to silent stone, ‘Arise!’ Can it give guidance? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, yet there is no breath in it at all.”

New American Standard Bible
“Woe to him who says to a piece of wood, ‘Awake!’ To a mute stone, ‘Arise!’ That is your teacher? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, Yet there is no breath at all inside it.

NASB 1995
"Woe to him who says to a piece of wood, 'Awake!' To a mute stone, 'Arise!' And that is your teacher? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, And there is no breath at all inside it.

NASB 1977
“Woe to him who says to a piece of wood, ‘Awake!’ To a dumb stone, ‘Arise!’ And that is your teacher? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, And there is no breath at all inside it.

Amplified Bible
“Woe (judgment is coming) to him who says to the wooden image, ‘Awake!’ And to the speechless stone, ‘Arise!’ And that is your teacher? Look, it is overlaid with gold and silver, And there is no breath at all inside it.

Christian Standard Bible
Woe to him who says to wood: Wake up! or to mute stone: Come alive! Can it teach? Look! It may be plated with gold and silver, yet there is no breath in it at all.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Woe to him who says to wood: Wake up! or to mute stone: Come alive! Can it teach? Look! It may be plated with gold and silver, yet there is no breath in it at all.

Contemporary English Version
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!"

Good News Translation
You are doomed! You say to a piece of wood, "Wake up!" or to a block of stone, "Get up!" Can an idol reveal anything to you? It may be covered with silver and gold, but there is no life in it.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
'How horrible it will be for the one who says to a piece of wood, "Wake up!" and to a stone that cannot talk, "Get up!' " Can that thing teach [anyone]? Just look at it! It's covered with gold and silver, but there's absolutely no life in it."

International Standard Version
"Woe to the one who says to a tree, 'Wake up!' or 'Arise!' to a speechless stone. Idols like this can't teach, can they? Look, even though it is overlaid with gold and silver, there's no breath in it at all."

NET Bible
The one who says to wood, 'Wake up!' is as good as dead--he who says to speechless stone, 'Awake!' Can it give reliable guidance? It is overlaid with gold and silver; it has no life's breath inside it.
Classic Translations
King James Bible
Woe 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.

New King James Version
Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Awake!’ To silent stone, ‘Arise! It shall teach!’ Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, Yet in it there is no breath at all.

King James 2000 Bible
Woe unto him that says to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in it.

New Heart English Bible
Woe to him who says to the wood, 'Awake.' or to the mute stone, 'Arise.' Shall this teach? Look, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in its midst.

World English Bible
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 in its midst.

American King James Version
Woe to him that said 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 middle of it.

American Standard Version
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.

A Faithful Version
Woe to him who says to the wood, 'Awake!' To a dumb stone, 'Arise!' Can it teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, yet no breath is in its midst.

Darby Bible Translation
Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake! to the dumb stone, Arise! Shall it teach? Behold it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it.

English Revised Version
Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise! Shall this teach? Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it.

Webster's Bible Translation
Woe to 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.

Early Modern
Geneva Bible of 1587
Wo vnto him that sayth to the wood, Awake, and to the dumme stone, Rise vp, it shall teach thee: beholde, it is layde ouer with golde and siluer, and there is no breath in it.

Bishops' Bible of 1568
Wo vnto hym that sayth to the wood, Awake: and to the dumbe stone, Rise vp, it shall teache thee: beholde it is layde ouer with gold and siluer, & there is no breath in it.

Coverdale Bible of 1535
Wo vnto him, that saieth to a pece of wod: arise, and to a domme stone: stonde vp. For what instruccio maye soch one geue? Beholde, it is layed ouer with golde and syluer, & there is no breth in it.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Woe [to] him who is saying to wood, Awake, "" To a mute stone, Stir up, "" It [is] a teacher! Behold, it is overlaid—gold and silver, "" And there is no spirit in its midst.

Young's Literal Translation
Woe to him who is saying to wood, 'Awake,' 'Stir up,' to a dumb stone, It a teacher! lo, it is overlaid -- gold and silver, And there is no spirit in its midst.

Smith's Literal Translation
Wo! to him saying to the wood, Awake; and to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach. Being overlaid with gold and silver, and not any spirit in its midst.

Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Woe to him that saith to wood: Awake: to the dumb stone: Arise: can it teach? Behold, it is laid over with gold, and silver, and there is no spirit in the bowels thereof.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Woe to him who says to wood, “Awaken,” to the silent stone, “Arise.” Is it able to teach? Behold, it has been entirely covered with gold and silver; and there is no spirit at all in its inner workings.

Translations from Aramaic
Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Woe to him who says to wood: “Wake up, and to deaf stone, Get up! They are worthless and they are overlaid in gold and no spirit is in them

Lamsa Bible
Woe to him who says to the wood, Awake! to the dumb stone, Arise! They are vain; even though they are overlaid with gold, there is no breath at all in them.

OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Woe unto him that saith to the wood: 'Awake', To the dumb stone: 'Arise!' Can this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, And there is no breath at all in the midst of it.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Woe to him that says to the wood, Awake, arise; and to the stone, Be thou exalted! whereas it is an image, and this is a casting of gold and silver, and there is no breath in it.
















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