Habakkuk 2 Parallel Bible Translations

Habakkuk 2 ▼
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1 I will stand at my guard post And station myself on the tower; And I will keep watch to see what He will say to me, And what answer I will give [as His spokesman] when I am reproved. I 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. I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint.
2 Then the LORD answered me and said, “Write the vision And engrave it plainly on [clay] tablets So that the one who reads it will run. And the LORD answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. Then the LORD replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.
3 “For the vision is yet for the appointed [future] time It hurries toward the goal [of fulfillment]; it will not fail. Even though it delays, wait [patiently] for it, Because it will certainly come; it will not delay. For 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. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.
4 “Look at the proud one, His soul is not right within him, But the righteous will live by his faith [in the true God]. “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith. “See, the enemy is puffed up; his desires are not upright— but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness —
5 “Moreover, wine is treacherous and betrays the arrogant man, So that he does not stay at home. His appetite is large like Sheol, And he is like death, never satisfied. He gathers to himself all nations And collects to himself all peoples [as if he owned them]. “Moreover, wine is a traitor, an arrogant man who is never at rest. 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.” indeed, wine betrays him; he is arrogant and never at rest. Because he is as greedy as the grave and like death is never satisfied, he gathers to himself all the nations and takes captive all the peoples.
6 “Will all these [victims of his greed] not take up a taunting song against him, And in mocking derision against him Say, ‘Woe (judgment is coming) to him who increases that which is not his— How long [will he possess it]? And [woe to him who] makes himself wealthy with loans.’ Shall 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!” “Will not all of them taunt him with ridicule and scorn, saying, “’Woe to him who piles up stolen goods and makes himself wealthy by extortion! How long must this go on?’
7 “Will your creditors not rise up suddenly, And those who collect from you awaken? Then you will become plunder for them. Will not your debtors suddenly arise, and those awake who will make you tremble? Then you will be spoil for them. Will not your creditors suddenly arise? Will they not wake up and make you tremble? Then you will become their prey.
8 “Because you [king of Babylon] have looted many nations, All peoples who are left will loot you— Because of human bloodshed and for the violence done to the land, To the city and all its inhabitants. Because 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. Because you have plundered many nations, the peoples who are left will plunder you. For you have shed human blood; you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.
9 “Woe (judgment is coming) to him who obtains wicked gain for his house [and thinks by so doing] To set his nest on high, That he may be rescued from the hand of evil. “Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house, to set his nest on high, to be safe from the reach of harm! “Woe to him who builds his house by unjust gain, setting his nest on high to escape the clutches of ruin!
10 “You have devised a shameful thing for your house By cutting off and putting an end to many peoples; So you are sinning against your own life and forfeiting it. You have devised shame for your house by cutting off many peoples; you have forfeited your life. You have plotted the ruin of many peoples, shaming your own house and forfeiting your life.
11 “For the stone will cry out from the wall [to accuse you—built in sin!] And the rafter will answer it out of the woodwork. For the stone will cry out from the wall, and the beam from the woodwork respond. The stones of the wall will cry out, and the beams of the woodwork will echo it.
12 “Woe (judgment is coming) to him who builds a city with bloodshed And establishes a town by violence! “Woe to him who builds a town with blood and founds a city on iniquity! “Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed and establishes a town by injustice!
13 “Is it not indeed from the LORD of hosts That peoples labor [only] for the fire [that will destroy their work], And nations grow weary for nothing [that is, things which have no lasting value]? Behold, is it not from the LORD of hosts that peoples labor merely for fire, and nations weary themselves for nothing? Has not the LORD Almighty determined that the people’s labor is only fuel for the fire, that the nations exhaust themselves for nothing?
14 “But [the time is coming when] the earth shall be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, As the waters cover the sea. For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.
15 “Woe (judgment is coming) to you who make your neighbors drink, Who mix in your venom to make them drunk So that you may look at their nakedness! “Woe to him who makes his neighbors drink— you pour out your wrath and make them drunk, in order to gaze at their nakedness! “Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors, pouring it from the wineskin till they are drunk, so that he can gaze on their naked bodies!
16 “You will be filled with disgrace instead of honor. Now drink and expose your own nakedness! The cup [of wrath] in the LORD’S right hand will come around to you [O destroyer], And utter disgrace will be on your own glory. You 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! You will be filled with shame instead of glory. Now it is your turn! Drink and let your nakedness be exposed! The cup from the LORD’s right hand is coming around to you, and disgrace will cover your glory.
17 “For the violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you; The destruction of the animals will terrify you On account of human bloodshed and the violence done to the land, To the city and all its inhabitants. The 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. The violence you have done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, and your destruction of animals will terrify you. For you have shed human blood; you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.
18 “What profit is the carved image when its maker has formed it? It is only a cast image, and a teacher of lies. For its maker trusts in his own creation [as his god] When he makes speechless idols. “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! “Of what value is an idol carved by a craftsman? Or an image that teaches lies? For the one who makes it trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak.
19 “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. 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. 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.”
20 “But the LORD is in His holy temple. Let all the earth hush and be silent before Him.” But the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.” The LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.
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