Habakkuk 1

Habakkuk cries out to the LORD: "How long shall I cry, and You will not hear?" Violence and wickedness surround him. The LORD answers: He is raising up the Chaldeans — a bitter and swift nation — to execute judgment. Habakkuk is astonished: How can a holy God use a nation more wicked than Judah to punish them?

v	King James Version	Modern English
1	The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.	The burden that Habakkuk the prophet saw.
2	O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!	O LORD, how long shall I cry, and You will not hear? I cry out to You of violence, and You will not save.
3	Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention.	Why do You show me iniquity, and make me look on grievance? Plundering and violence are before me, and there are those who stir up strife and contention.
4	Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.	Therefore the law is slack, and judgment never goes forth. The wicked surround the righteous, so wrong judgment proceeds.
5	Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.	Look among the heathen, and consider, and be greatly amazed. For I will work a work in your days that you would not believe, even if it were told you.
6	For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs.	I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the land to possess dwellings that are not theirs.
7	They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves.	They are terrible and dreadful. Their judgment and their dignity proceed from themselves.
8	Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat.	Their horses are swifter than leopards and fiercer than evening wolves. Their horsemen spread themselves, and their horsemen come from far away. They fly like an eagle that hurries to eat.
9	They shall come all for violence: their faces shall sup up as the east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the sand.	They all come for violence. Their faces are set like the east wind, and they gather captives like sand.
10	And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a scorn unto them: they shall deride every strong hold; for they shall heap dust, and take it.	They scoff at kings, and princes are a scorn to them. They mock every stronghold, for they heap up dust and take it.
11	Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend, imputing this his power unto his god.	Then his mind changes, and he passes over and offends, crediting his power to his god.
12	Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction.	Are You not from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O LORD, You have ordained them for judgment, and, O mighty God, You have established them for correction.
13	Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?	You are of purer eyes than to look on evil, and You cannot look on iniquity. Why then do You look on those who deal treacherously, and hold Your tongue when the wicked devours the man more righteous than he?
14	And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?	You make men like the fish of the sea, like the creeping things that have no ruler over them.
15	They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: therefore they rejoice and are glad.	They take all of them up with the hook. They catch them in their net and gather them in their dragnet. Therefore they rejoice and are glad.
16	Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous.	Therefore they sacrifice to their net and burn incense to their dragnet, because by them their portion is rich and their food plentiful.
17	Shall he therefore empty his net, and not spare continually to slay the nations?	Shall they therefore empty their net, and continually slay the nations without mercy?