Habakkuk 2
Habakkuk stands on his watchtower to wait for the LORD's answer. The LORD replies: "Write the vision and make it plain — the just shall live by his faith." Five woes follow against the arrogant conqueror — for plundering nations, building by bloodshed, filling the earth with violence, shaming his neighbor, and trusting in idols. "The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea."
| v | King James Version | Modern English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. | I will stand on my watch and station myself on the tower. I will watch to see what He will say to me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. |
| 2 | And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. | The LORD answered me and said, "Write the vision, and make it plain on tablets, so that He who reads it may run. |
| 3 | For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. | For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie. Though it waits, wait for it, because it will surely come; it will not delay. |
| 4 | Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. | His soul that is lifted up is not upright in Him, but the just shall live by His faith. |
| 5 | Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people: | Also, because He transgresses by wine, He is a proud man, and He does not stay at home. He enlarges His desire as hell, and is like death, and cannot be satisfied. He gathers all nations to Himself and heaps to Himself all peoples. |
| 6 | Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay! | Shall not all these take up a parable against Him, and a taunting proverb against Him, and say, "Woe to Him who increases what is not His! How long? And to Him who loads Himself with thick clay!" |
| 7 | Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them? | Shall they not rise up suddenly who will bite You, and awake who will trouble You? Then You shall become their plunder. |
| 8 | Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee; because of men's blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein. | Because You have plundered many nations, all the remnant of the people shall plunder you. This is because of men's blood, and for the violence done to the land, to the city, and to all who live in it. |
| 9 | Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil! | Woe to Him who covets an evil covetousness for His house, that He may set His nest on high, that He may be delivered from the power of evil! |
| 10 | Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul. | You have brought shame to Your house by cutting off many peoples, and have sinned against Your own soul. |
| 11 | For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it. | The stone shall cry out from the wall, and the beam from the timber shall answer it. |
| 12 | Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablisheth a city by iniquity! | Woe to Him who builds a town with blood, and establishes a city by iniquity! |
| 13 | Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity? | Is it not from the LORD of hosts that the people shall labor in the fire, and the people shall weary themselves for nothing? |
| 14 | For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. | For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. |
| 15 | Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness! | Woe to Him who gives His neighbor drink, who puts His bottle to Him and makes Him drunk also, so that He may look on their nakedness! |
| 16 | Thou art filled with shame for glory: drink thou also, and let thy foreskin be uncovered: the cup of the LORD's right hand shall be turned unto thee, and shameful spewing shall be on thy glory. | You are filled with shame instead of glory. Drink also Yourself, and let Your foreskin be uncovered. The cup of the LORD's right hand shall be turned to You, and shameful vomit shall be on Your glory. |
| 17 | For the violence of Lebanon shall cover thee, and the spoil of beasts, which made them afraid, because of men's blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein. | The violence done to Lebanon shall cover You, and the destruction of beasts, which made them afraid, because of men's blood, and for the violence done to the land, to the city, and to all who live in it. |
| 18 | What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols? | What profit is the carved image, that its maker has carved it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of His work trusts in it, to make mute idols? |
| 19 | Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it. | Woe to Him who says to the wood, "Awake!" — to the mute stone, "Arise, it shall teach!" It is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all within it. |
| 20 | But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him. | But the LORD is in His holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence before Him. |