Habakkuk’s First Complaint

1The burde which Habacuc the prophete dyd see.

2O Lorde, howe long shall I crye, and thou wilt not heare? euen crye out vnto thee for violence, and thou wilt not helpe?

3Why doest thou shew me iniquitie, and cause me to beholde sorowe? for spoyling and violence are before me, & there are that rayse vp stryfe and contention,

4Therfore the law is dissolued, & iudgement doth neuer go foorth: for the wicked doth compasse about the righteous, therfore wrong iudgement proceedeth.

The LORD’s Answer

5Behold among the heathen, and regarde, and wonder, and marueyll: for I will worke a worke in your dayes, ye will not beleue it though it be tolde you.

6For lo, I rayse vp the Chaldeans, that bitter and furious nation, whiche shall go vpon the breadth of the land, to possesse the dwelling places that are not theirs.

7They are terrible and fearfull: their iudgement and their dignitie shall procede of them selues.

8Their horses also are swifter then the leopardes, and are more fierce then the wolues in the euening, and their horsemen shall come from farre: they shall flee as the Egle hasting to meate.

9They come all to spoyle: before their faces shalbe an eastwinde, and they shall gather the captiuitie as the sande.

10And they shall mocke the kinges, and the princes shalbe a scorne vnto them: they shall deride euery stronghold, for they shall gather dust, and take it.

11Then shall they take a courage, and transgresse, and do wickedly, imputing this their power vnto their god.

Habakkuk’s Second Complaint
(Psalm 11:1–7)

12Art not thou of olde, O Lord my God, my holy one? we shall not dye, O Lord thou hast ordeined them for iudgement, and O God thou hast established them for correction.

13Thou art of pure eyes, and canst not see euyl, thou canst not behold wickednesse: wherfore then doest thou loke vpo the transgressours, and holdest thy tongue, when the wicked deuoureth the man that is more righteous then he?

14And makest men as the fishe of the sea, and as the creeping thinges that haue no ruler ouer them.

15They take vp all with the angle, they catche it in their net, and gather it in their yarne: wherof they reioyce and are glad.

16Therfore they sacrifice vnto their net, and burne incense vnto their yarne: because by them their portion is fat, and their meate plenteous.

17Shall they therfore stretche out their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations?