| New International Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1The prophecy that Habakkuk the prophet received. | 1The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw. |
| 2How long, LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, "Violence!" but you do not save? | 2How long, LORD, must I call for help and You do not listen or cry out to You about violence and You do not save? |
| 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. | 3Why do You force me to look at injustice? Why do You tolerate wrongdoing? Oppression and violence are right in front of me. Strife is ongoing, and conflict escalates. |
| 4Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted. | 4This is why the law is ineffective and justice never emerges. For the wicked restrict the righteous; therefore, justice comes out perverted. |
| 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. | 5Look at the nations and observe-- be utterly astounded! For something is taking place in your days that you will not believe when you hear about it. |
| 6I am raising up the Babylonians, that ruthless and impetuous people, who sweep across the whole earth to seize dwellings not their own. | 6Look! I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter, impetuous nation that marches across the earth's open spaces to seize territories not its own. |
| 7They are a feared and dreaded people; they are a law to themselves and promote their own honor. | 7They are fierce and terrifying; their views of justice and sovereignty stem from themselves. |
| 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; | 8Their horses are swifter than leopards and more fierce than wolves of the night. Their horsemen charge ahead; their horsemen come from distant lands. They fly like an eagle, swooping to devour. |
| 9they all come intent on violence. Their hordes advance like a desert wind and gather prisoners like sand. | 9All of them come to do violence; their faces are set in determination. They gather prisoners like sand. |
| 10They mock kings and scoff at rulers. They laugh at all fortified cities; by building earthen ramps they capture them. | 10They mock kings, and rulers are a joke to them. They laugh at every fortress and build siege ramps to capture it. |
| 11Then they sweep past like the wind and go on-- guilty people, whose own strength is their god." | 11Then they sweep by like the wind and pass through. They are guilty; their strength is their god. |
| 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. | 12Are You not from eternity, Yahweh my God? My Holy One, You will not die. LORD, You appointed them to execute judgment; my Rock, You destined them to punish us. |
| 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? | 13Your eyes are too pure to look on evil, and You cannot tolerate wrongdoing. So why do You tolerate those who are treacherous? Why are You silent while one who is wicked swallows up one who is more righteous than himself? |
| 14You have made people like the fish in the sea, like the sea creatures that have no ruler. | 14You have made mankind like the fish of the sea, like marine creatures that have no ruler. |
| 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. | 15The Chaldeans pull them all up with a hook, catch them in their dragnet, and gather them in their fishing net; that is why they are glad and rejoice. |
| 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. | 16That is why they sacrifice to their dragnet and burn incense to their fishing net, for by these things their portion is rich and their food plentiful. |
| 17Is he to keep on emptying his net, destroying nations without mercy? | 17Will they therefore empty their net and continually slaughter nations without mercy? |
| 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. | Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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