Habakkuk’s First Complaint

1The burden, which Habakkuk the Prophet did 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 shewe mee iniquitie, and cause me to beholde sorowe? for spoyling, and violence are before me: and there are that rayse vp strife and contention.

4Therefore the Lawe is dissolued, and iudgement doeth neuer go forth: for the wicked doeth compasse about the righteous: therefore wrong iudgement proceedeth.

The LORD’s Answer

5Beholde among the heathen, and regarde, and wonder, and maruaile: for I will worke a worke in your dayes: yee will not beleeue it, though it be tolde you.

6For lo, I raise vp the Caldeans, that bitter & furious nation, which shall goe vpon the breadth of the lande to possesse the dwelling places, that are not theirs.

7They are terrible & fearefull: their iudgement & their dignitie shal proceede of theselues.

8Their horses also are swifter then the leopards, and are more fierce then the wolues in the euening: and their horsemen are many: & their horsemen shall come from farre: they shall flie as the eagle hasting to meate.

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

10And they shall mocke the Kings, and the princes shalbe a skorne vnto them: they shall deride euery strong holde: for they shall gather dust, and take it.

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

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

12Art thou not of olde, O Lorde my God, mine holy one? we shall not die: 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 euill: thou canst not behold wickednesse: wherefore doest thou looke vpon the transgressors, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked deuoureth the man, that is more righteous then he?

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

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

16Therefore they sacrifice vnto their net, and burne incense vnto their yarne, because by them their portion is fat & their meat plenteous.

17Shall they therefore stretch out their net and not spare continually to slay the nations?