| English Standard Version | New International Version |
| 1The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw. | 1The prophecy that Habakkuk the prophet received. |
| 2O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save? | 2How long, LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, "Violence!" but you do not save? |
| 3Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. | 3Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. |
| 4So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted. | 4Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted. |
| 5“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. | 5"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. |
| 6For 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. | 6I am raising up the Babylonians, that ruthless and impetuous people, who sweep across the whole earth to seize dwellings not their own. |
| 7They are dreaded and fearsome; their justice and dignity go forth from themselves. | 7They are a feared and dreaded people; they are a law to themselves and promote their own honor. |
| 8Their 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. | 8Their 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; |
| 9They all come for violence, all their faces forward. They gather captives like sand. | 9they all come intent on violence. Their hordes advance like a desert wind and gather prisoners like sand. |
| 10At kings they scoff, and at rulers they laugh. They laugh at every fortress, for they pile up earth and take it. | 10They mock kings and scoff at rulers. They laugh at all fortified cities; by building earthen ramps they capture them. |
| 11Then they sweep by like the wind and go on, guilty men, whose own might is their god!” | 11Then they sweep past like the wind and go on-- guilty people, whose own strength is their god." |
| 12Are 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. | 12LORD, 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. |
| 13You 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? | 13Your 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? |
| 14You make mankind like the fish of the sea, like crawling things that have no ruler. | 14You have made people like the fish in the sea, like the sea creatures that have no ruler. |
| 15He 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. | 15The 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. |
| 16Therefore he sacrifices to his net and makes offerings to his dragnet; for by them he lives in luxury, and his food is rich. | 16Therefore he sacrifices to his net and burns incense to his dragnet, for by his net he lives in luxury and enjoys the choicest food. |
| 17Is he then to keep on emptying his net and mercilessly killing nations forever? | 17Is he to keep on emptying his net, destroying nations without mercy? |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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