1 This is the prophetic oracle that the prophet Habakkuk saw.

The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.

2 How long, LORD, must I call for help and You do not listen? I cry out to You, 'Violence!' but You do not save.

O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!

3 Why do You make me see wrongdoing and observe trouble? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise.

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.

4 Therefore, the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked hem in the righteous, so justice comes out distorted.

Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.

5 Look among the nations and observe—be utterly amazed! For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe even if you were told.

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.

6 Look, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and impetuous nation that marches through the earth's breadth to seize dwellings not their own.

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.

7 They are terrifying and dreadful; their justice and authority originate with themselves.

They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves.

8 Their horses are swifter than leopards, fiercer than evening wolves. Their horsemen charge ahead; their horsemen come from afar. They fly like an eagle swooping to devour.

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.

9 They all come for violence; their faces are set to advance. They gather captives like sand.

They shall come all for violence: their faces shall sup up as the east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the sand.

10 They mock kings, and rulers are a joke to them. They laugh at every fortress and build up siege ramps to capture it.

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.

11 Then they sweep by like the wind and pass on; but they are guilty—this strength of theirs is their god.

Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend, imputing this his power unto his god.

12 Are You not from eternity, LORD my God, my Holy One? We will not die. LORD, You have appointed them for judgment; You, O Rock, have established them to rebuke.

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.

13 Your eyes are too pure to look on evil, and You cannot tolerate wrongdoing. So why do You tolerate the treacherous? Why are You silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?

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?

14 You have made mankind like the fish of the sea, like sea creatures who have no ruler.

And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?

15 The wicked pull them all up with a hook, drag them out with their net, and gather them in their dragnet; so they rejoice and are glad.

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.

16 Therefore they sacrifice to their net and burn incense to their dragnet, for by these their portion is rich and their food is plentiful.

Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous.

17 Is this why they empty their net and continually slay nations without mercy?

Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations?