| NET Bible | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 1The following is the message which God revealed to Habakkuk the prophet: | 1The oracle which Habakkuk the prophet saw. |
| 2How long, LORD, must I cry for help? But you do not listen! I call out to you, "Violence!" But you do not intervene! | 2How long, O LORD, will I call for help, And You will not hear? I cry out to You, "Violence!" Yet You do not save. |
| 3Why do you force me to witness injustice? Why do you put up with wrongdoing? Destruction and violence confront me; conflict is present and one must endure strife. | 3Why do You make me see iniquity, And cause me to look on wickedness? Yes, destruction and violence are before me; Strife exists and contention arises. |
| 4For this reason the law lacks power, and justice is never carried out. Indeed, the wicked intimidate the innocent. For this reason justice is perverted. | 4Therefore the law is ignored And justice is never upheld. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore justice comes out perverted. |
| 5"Look at the nations and pay attention! You will be shocked and amazed! For I will do something in your lifetime that you will not believe even though you are forewarned. | 5"Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days-- You would not believe if you were told. |
| 6Look, I am about to empower the Babylonians, that ruthless and greedy nation. They sweep across the surface of the earth, seizing dwelling places that do not belong to them. | 6"For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, That fierce and impetuous people Who march throughout the earth To seize dwelling places which are not theirs. |
| 7They are frightening and terrifying; they decide for themselves what is right. | 7"They are dreaded and feared; Their justice and authority originate with themselves. |
| 8Their horses are faster than leopards and more alert than wolves in the desert. Their horses gallop, their horses come a great distance; like a vulture they swoop down quickly to devour their prey. | 8"Their horses are swifter than leopards And keener than wolves in the evening. Their horsemen come galloping, Their horsemen come from afar; They fly like an eagle swooping down to devour. |
| 9All of them intend to do violence; every face is determined. They take prisoners as easily as one scoops up sand. | 9"All of them come for violence. Their horde of faces moves forward. They collect captives like sand. |
| 10They mock kings and laugh at rulers. They laugh at every fortified city; they build siege ramps and capture them. | 10"They mock at kings And rulers are a laughing matter to them. They laugh at every fortress And heap up rubble to capture it. |
| 11They sweep by like the wind and pass on. But the one who considers himself a god will be held guilty." | 11"Then they will sweep through like the wind and pass on. But they will be held guilty, They whose strength is their god." |
| 12LORD, you have been active from ancient times; my sovereign God, you are immortal. LORD, you have made them your instrument of judgment. Protector, you have appointed them as your instrument of punishment. | 12Are You not from everlasting, O LORD, my God, my Holy One? We will not die. You, O LORD, have appointed them to judge; And You, O Rock, have established them to correct. |
| 13You are too just to tolerate evil; you are unable to condone wrongdoing. So why do you put up with such treacherous people? Why do you say nothing when the wicked devour those more righteous than they are? | 13Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, And You can not look on wickedness with favor. Why do You look with favor On those who deal treacherously? Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up Those more righteous than they? |
| 14You made people like fish in the sea, like animals in the sea that have no ruler. | 14Why have You made men like the fish of the sea, Like creeping things without a ruler over them? |
| 15The Babylonian tyrant pulls them all up with a fishhook; he hauls them in with his throw net. When he catches them in his dragnet, he is very happy. | 15The Chaldeans bring all of them up with a hook, Drag them away with their net, And gather them together in their fishing net. Therefore they rejoice and are glad. |
| 16Because of his success he offers sacrifices to his throw net and burns incense to his dragnet; for because of them he has plenty of food, and more than enough to eat. | 16Therefore they offer a sacrifice to their net And burn incense to their fishing net; Because through these things their catch is large, And their food is plentiful. |
| 17Will he then continue to fill and empty his throw net? Will he always destroy nations and spare none? | 17Will they therefore empty their net And continually slay nations without sparing? |
| NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. //netbible.com. Used by permission. All rights reserved. | New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org |
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