Habakkuk 2
NIV — New International Version Bible (NIV)
NLT — New Living Translation Bible (NLT)
Verse 1
I will stand at my watch
and station myself on the ramparts;
I will look to see what he will say to me,
and what answer I am to give to this complaint.[a]
and station myself on the ramparts;
I will look to see what he will say to me,
and what answer I am to give to this complaint.[a]
The Lord’s Answer
I will climb up to my watchtower
and stand at my guardpost.
There I will wait to see what the Lord says
and how he[a] will answer my complaint.
and stand at my guardpost.
There I will wait to see what the Lord says
and how he[a] will answer my complaint.
The Lord’s Second Reply
Verse 2
Then the Lord replied:
“Write down the revelation
and make it plain on tablets
so that a herald[b] may run with it.
Then the Lord said to me,
“Write my answer plainly on tablets,
so that a runner can carry the correct message to others.
Verse 3
For the revelation awaits an appointed time;
it speaks of the end
and will not prove false.
Though it linger, wait for it;
it[c] will certainly come
and will not delay.
it speaks of the end
and will not prove false.
Though it linger, wait for it;
it[c] will certainly come
and will not delay.
This vision is for a future time.
It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled.
If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently,
for it will surely take place.
It will not be delayed.
It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled.
If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently,
for it will surely take place.
It will not be delayed.
Verse 4
“See, the enemy is puffed up;
his desires are not upright—
but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness[d]—
his desires are not upright—
but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness[d]—
“Look at the proud!
They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked.
But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God.[b]
They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked.
But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God.[b]
Verse 5
indeed, wine betrays him;
he is arrogant and never at rest.
Because he is as greedy as the grave
and like death is never satisfied,
he gathers to himself all the nations
and takes captive all the peoples.
he is arrogant and never at rest.
Because he is as greedy as the grave
and like death is never satisfied,
he gathers to himself all the nations
and takes captive all the peoples.
Wealth[c] is treacherous,
and the arrogant are never at rest.
They open their mouths as wide as the grave,[d]
and like death, they are never satisfied.
In their greed they have gathered up many nations
and swallowed many peoples.
and the arrogant are never at rest.
They open their mouths as wide as the grave,[d]
and like death, they are never satisfied.
In their greed they have gathered up many nations
and swallowed many peoples.
Verse 6
“Will not all of them taunt him with ridicule and scorn, saying,
“‘Woe to him who piles up stolen goods
and makes himself wealthy by extortion!
How long must this go on?’
“But soon their captives will taunt them.
They will mock them, saying,
‘What sorrow awaits you thieves!
Now you will get what you deserve!
You’ve become rich by extortion,
but how much longer can this go on?’
They will mock them, saying,
‘What sorrow awaits you thieves!
Now you will get what you deserve!
You’ve become rich by extortion,
but how much longer can this go on?’
Verse 7
Will not your creditors suddenly arise?
Will they not wake up and make you tremble?
Then you will become their prey.
Will they not wake up and make you tremble?
Then you will become their prey.
Suddenly, your debtors will take action.
They will turn on you and take all you have,
while you stand trembling and helpless.
They will turn on you and take all you have,
while you stand trembling and helpless.
Verse 8
Because you have plundered many nations,
the peoples who are left will plunder you.
For you have shed human blood;
you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.
the peoples who are left will plunder you.
For you have shed human blood;
you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.
Because you have plundered many nations,
now all the survivors will plunder you.
You committed murder throughout the countryside
and filled the towns with violence.
now all the survivors will plunder you.
You committed murder throughout the countryside
and filled the towns with violence.
Verse 9
“Woe to him who builds his house by unjust gain,
setting his nest on high
to escape the clutches of ruin!
setting his nest on high
to escape the clutches of ruin!
“What sorrow awaits you who build big houses
with money gained dishonestly!
You believe your wealth will buy security,
putting your family’s nest beyond the reach of danger.
with money gained dishonestly!
You believe your wealth will buy security,
putting your family’s nest beyond the reach of danger.
Verse 10
You have plotted the ruin of many peoples,
shaming your own house and forfeiting your life.
shaming your own house and forfeiting your life.
But by the murders you committed,
you have shamed your name and forfeited your lives.
you have shamed your name and forfeited your lives.
Verse 11
The stones of the wall will cry out,
and the beams of the woodwork will echo it.
and the beams of the woodwork will echo it.
The very stones in the walls cry out against you,
and the beams in the ceilings echo the complaint.
and the beams in the ceilings echo the complaint.
Verse 12
“Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed
and establishes a town by injustice!
and establishes a town by injustice!
“What sorrow awaits you who build cities
with money gained through murder and corruption!
with money gained through murder and corruption!
Verse 13
Has not the Lord Almighty determined
that the people’s labor is only fuel for the fire,
that the nations exhaust themselves for nothing?
that the people’s labor is only fuel for the fire,
that the nations exhaust themselves for nothing?
Has not the Lord of Heaven’s Armies promised
that the wealth of nations will turn to ashes?
They work so hard,
but all in vain!
that the wealth of nations will turn to ashes?
They work so hard,
but all in vain!
Verse 14
For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.
as the waters cover the sea.
For as the waters fill the sea,
the earth will be filled with an awareness
of the glory of the Lord.
the earth will be filled with an awareness
of the glory of the Lord.
Verse 15
“Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors,
pouring it from the wineskin till they are drunk,
so that he can gaze on their naked bodies!
pouring it from the wineskin till they are drunk,
so that he can gaze on their naked bodies!
“What sorrow awaits you who make your neighbors drunk!
You force your cup on them
so you can gloat over their shameful nakedness.
You force your cup on them
so you can gloat over their shameful nakedness.
Verse 16
You will be filled with shame instead of glory.
Now it is your turn! Drink and let your nakedness be exposed[e]!
The cup from the Lord’s right hand is coming around to you,
and disgrace will cover your glory.
Now it is your turn! Drink and let your nakedness be exposed[e]!
The cup from the Lord’s right hand is coming around to you,
and disgrace will cover your glory.
But soon it will be your turn to be disgraced.
Come, drink and be exposed![e]
Drink from the cup of the Lord’s judgment,
and all your glory will be turned to shame.
Come, drink and be exposed![e]
Drink from the cup of the Lord’s judgment,
and all your glory will be turned to shame.
Verse 17
The violence you have done to Lebanon will overwhelm you,
and your destruction of animals will terrify you.
For you have shed human blood;
you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.
and your destruction of animals will terrify you.
For you have shed human blood;
you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.
You cut down the forests of Lebanon.
Now you will be cut down.
You destroyed the wild animals,
so now their terror will be yours.
You committed murder throughout the countryside
and filled the towns with violence.
Now you will be cut down.
You destroyed the wild animals,
so now their terror will be yours.
You committed murder throughout the countryside
and filled the towns with violence.
Verse 18
“Of what value is an idol carved by a craftsman?
Or an image that teaches lies?
For the one who makes it trusts in his own creation;
he makes idols that cannot speak.
Or an image that teaches lies?
For the one who makes it trusts in his own creation;
he makes idols that cannot speak.
“What good is an idol carved by man,
or a cast image that deceives you?
How foolish to trust in your own creation—
a god that can’t even talk!
or a cast image that deceives you?
How foolish to trust in your own creation—
a god that can’t even talk!
Verse 19
Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Come to life!’
Or to lifeless stone, ‘Wake up!’
Can it give guidance?
It is covered with gold and silver;
there is no breath in it.”
Or to lifeless stone, ‘Wake up!’
Can it give guidance?
It is covered with gold and silver;
there is no breath in it.”
What sorrow awaits you who say to wooden idols,
‘Wake up and save us!’
To speechless stone images you say,
‘Rise up and teach us!’
Can an idol tell you what to do?
They may be overlaid with gold and silver,
but they are lifeless inside.
‘Wake up and save us!’
To speechless stone images you say,
‘Rise up and teach us!’
Can an idol tell you what to do?
They may be overlaid with gold and silver,
but they are lifeless inside.
Verse 20
The Lord is in his holy temple;
let all the earth be silent before him.
let all the earth be silent before him.
But the Lord is in his holy Temple.
Let all the earth be silent before him.”
Let all the earth be silent before him.”