1:1 The following is the message ¹  which God revealed to Habakkuk the prophet: ² 

1:2 How long, Lord, must I cry for help?

But you do not listen!

I call out to you, “Violence!”

But you do not intervene! ³ 

1:3 Why do you force me to witness injustice? ⁴ 

Why do you put up with wrongdoing? ⁵ 

Destruction and violence confront ⁶  me;

conflict is present and one must endure strife. ⁷ 

1:4 For this reason the law lacks power, ⁸ 

and justice is never carried out. ⁹ 

Indeed, ¹⁰  the wicked intimidate ¹¹  the innocent. ¹² 

For this reason justice is perverted. ¹³ 

1:5 “Look at the nations and pay attention! ¹⁴ 

You will be shocked and amazed! ¹⁵ 

For I will do something in your lifetime ¹⁶ 

that you will not believe even though you are forewarned. ¹⁷ 

1:6 Look, I am about to empower ¹⁸  the Babylonians,

that ruthless ¹⁹  and greedy ²⁰  nation.

They sweep across the surface ²¹  of the earth,

seizing dwelling places that do not belong to them.

1:7 They are frightening and terrifying;

they decide for themselves what is right. ²² 

1:8 Their horses are faster than leopards

and more alert ²³  than wolves in the desert. ²⁴ 

Their horses ²⁵  gallop, ²⁶ 

their horses come a great distance;

like a vulture ²⁷  they swoop down quickly to devour their prey. ²⁸ 

1:9 All of them intend ²⁹  to do violence;

every face is determined. ³⁰ 

They take prisoners as easily as one scoops up sand. ³¹ 

1:10 They mock kings

and laugh at rulers.

They laugh at every fortified city;

they build siege ramps ³²  and capture them.

1:11 They sweep by like the wind and pass on. ³³ 

But the one who considers himself a god will be held guilty.” ³⁴ 

1:12 Lord, you have been active from ancient times; ³⁵ 

my sovereign God, ³⁶  you are immortal. ³⁷ 

Lord, you have made them ³⁸  your instrument of judgment. ³⁹ 

Protector, ⁴⁰  you have appointed them as your instrument of punishment. ⁴¹ 

1:13 You are too just ⁴²  to tolerate ⁴³  evil;

you are unable to condone ⁴⁴  wrongdoing.

So why do you put up with such treacherous people? ⁴⁵ 

Why do you say nothing when the wicked devour ⁴⁶  those more righteous than they are? ⁴⁷ 

1:14 You made people like fish in the sea,

like animals in the sea ⁴⁸  that have no ruler.

1:15 The Babylonian tyrant ⁴⁹  pulls them all up with a fishhook;

he hauls them in with his throw net. ⁵⁰ 

When he catches ⁵¹  them in his dragnet,

he is very happy. ⁵² 

1:16 Because of his success ⁵³  he offers sacrifices to his throw net

and burns incense to his dragnet; ⁵⁴ 

for because of them he has plenty of food, ⁵⁵ 

and more than enough to eat. ⁵⁶ 

1:17 Will he then ⁵⁷  continue to fill and empty his throw net? ⁵⁸ 

Will he always ⁵⁹  destroy ⁶⁰  nations and spare none? ⁶¹