Chapter 1
Habakkuk’s First Complaint
1
[This is] the burden that Habakkuk the prophet received in a vision:
𐤄𐤌𐤔𐤀 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤇𐤁𐤒𐤅𐤒 𐤄𐤍𐤁𐤉𐤀 𐤇𐤆𐤄
הַמַּשָׂא֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר חֲבַקּ֖וּק הַנָּבִֽיא׃ חָזָ֔ה ham·ma·śå̄ ’ă·šer ḥă·ḇaq·qūq han·nā·ḇî ḥā·zāh — WLC · 1
2
How long…, O LORD, must I call for help but You do not hear, or cry out to You, “Violence!” but You do not save?
𐤏𐤃 𐤀𐤍𐤄 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤔𐤅𐤏𐤕𐤉 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤔𐤌𐤏 𐤀𐤆𐤏𐤒 𐤀𐤋𐤉𐤊 𐤇𐤌𐤎 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤅𐤔𐤉𐤏
עַד־ אָ֧נָה יְהוָ֛ה שִׁוַּ֖עְתִּי וְלֹ֣א תִשְׁמָ֑ע אֶזְעַ֥ק אֵלֶ֛יךָ חָמָ֖ס וְלֹ֥א תוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃ ‘aḏ- ’ā·nāh Yah·weh šiw·wa‘·tî wə·lō ṯiš·mā‘ ’ez·‘aq ’ê·le·ḵā ḥā·mās wə·lō ṯō·wō·šî·a‘ — WLC · 2
3
Why do You make me see iniquity? Why do You tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence [are] before me. Strife is ongoing, and conflict abounds.
𐤋𐤌𐤄 𐤕𐤓𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤀𐤅𐤍 𐤕𐤁𐤉𐤈 𐤅𐤏𐤌𐤋 𐤅𐤔𐤃 𐤅𐤇𐤌𐤎 𐤋𐤍𐤂𐤃𐤉 𐤓𐤉𐤁 𐤅𐤉𐤄𐤉 𐤅𐤌𐤃𐤅𐤍 𐤉𐤔𐤀
לָ֣מָּה תַרְאֵ֤נִי אָ֙וֶן֙ תַּבִּ֔יט וְעָמָ֣ל וְשֹׁ֥ד וְחָמָ֖ס לְנֶגְדִּ֑י רִ֦יב וַיְהִ֧י וּמָד֖וֹן יִשָּֽׂא׃ lām·māh ṯar·’ê·nî ’ā·wen tab·bîṭ wə·‘ā·māl wə·šōḏ wə·ḥā·mās lə·neḡ·dî rîḇ way·hî ū·mā·ḏō·wn yiś·śā — WLC · 3
4
Therefore… the law is paralyzed, and justice never… goes forth. For the wicked hem in the righteous, so that… justice is perverted.
𐤏𐤋 𐤊𐤍 𐤕𐤅𐤓𐤄 𐤕𐤐𐤅𐤂 𐤌𐤔𐤐𐤈 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤋𐤍𐤑𐤇 𐤉𐤑𐤀 𐤊𐤉 𐤓𐤔𐤏 𐤌𐤊𐤕𐤉𐤓 𐤀𐤕 𐤄𐤑𐤃𐤉𐤒 𐤏𐤋 𐤊𐤍 𐤌𐤔𐤐𐤈 𐤉𐤑𐤀 𐤌𐤏𐤒𐤋
עַל־ כֵּן֙ תּוֹרָ֔ה תָּפ֣וּג מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וְלֹֽא־ לָנֶ֖צַח יֵצֵ֥א כִּ֤י רָשָׁע֙ מַכְתִּ֣יר אֶת־ הַצַּדִּ֔יק עַל־ כֵּ֛ן מִשְׁפָּ֖ט יֵצֵ֥א מְעֻקָּֽל׃ ‘al- kên tō·w·rāh tā·p̄ūḡ miš·pāṭ wə·lō- lā·ne·ṣaḥ yê·ṣê kî rā·šā‘ maḵ·tîr ’eṯ- haṣ·ṣad·dîq ‘al- kên miš·pāṭ yê·ṣê mə·‘uq·qāl — WLC · 4
The LORD’s Answer
5
“Look at the nations and observe— be utterly astounded…! For [I am] doing a work in your days that you would never believe even if [someone] told you.
𐤓𐤀𐤅 𐤁𐤂𐤅𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤄𐤁𐤉𐤈𐤅 𐤅𐤄𐤕𐤌𐤄𐤅 𐤕𐤌𐤄𐤅 𐤊𐤉 𐤐𐤏𐤋 𐤐𐤏𐤋 𐤁𐤉𐤌𐤉𐤊𐤌 𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤀𐤌𐤉𐤍𐤅 𐤊𐤉 𐤉𐤎𐤐𐤓
רְא֤וּ בַגּוֹיִם֙ וְֽהַבִּ֔יטוּ וְהִֽתַּמְּה֖וּ תְּמָ֑הוּ כִּי־ פֹּעֵ֣ל פֹ֙עַל֙ בִּֽימֵיכֶ֔ם לֹ֥א תַאֲמִ֖ינוּ כִּ֥י יְסֻפָּֽר׃ rə·’ū ḇag·gō·w·yim wə·hab·bî·ṭū wə·hit·tam·mə·hū tə·mā·hū kî- pō·‘êl p̄ō·‘al bî·mê·ḵem lō ṯa·’ă·mî·nū kî yə·sup·pār — WLC · 5
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For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans that ruthless and impetuous nation which marches through the breadth of the earth to seize dwellings not their own.
𐤊𐤉 𐤄𐤍𐤍𐤉 𐤌𐤒𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤕 𐤄𐤊𐤔𐤃𐤉𐤌 𐤄𐤌𐤓 𐤅𐤄𐤍𐤌𐤄𐤓 𐤄𐤂𐤅𐤉 𐤄𐤄𐤅𐤋𐤊 𐤋𐤌𐤓𐤇𐤁𐤉 𐤀𐤓𐤑 𐤋𐤓𐤔𐤕 𐤌𐤔𐤊𐤍𐤅𐤕 𐤋𐤀 𐤋𐤅
כִּֽי־ הִנְנִ֤י מֵקִים֙ אֶת־ הַכַּשְׂדִּ֔ים הַמַּ֣ר וְהַנִּמְהָ֑ר הַגּ֖וֹי הַֽהוֹלֵךְ֙ לְמֶרְחֲבֵי־ אֶ֔רֶץ לָרֶ֖שֶׁת מִשְׁכָּנ֥וֹת לֹּא־ לֽוֹ׃ kî- hin·nî mê·qîm ’eṯ- hak·kaś·dîm ham·mar wə·han·nim·hār hag·gō·w ha·hō·w·lêḵ lə·mer·ḥă·ḇê- ’e·reṣ lā·re·šeṯ miš·kā·nō·wṯ lō- lōw — WLC · 6
7
They are dreaded and feared; from themselves they derive justice and sovereignty.
𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤀𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤍𐤅𐤓𐤀 𐤌𐤌𐤍𐤅 𐤉𐤑𐤀 𐤌𐤔𐤐𐤈𐤅 𐤅𐤔𐤀𐤕𐤅
ה֑וּא אָיֹ֥ם וְנוֹרָ֖א מִמֶּ֕נּוּ יֵצֵֽא׃ מִשְׁפָּט֥וֹ וּשְׂאֵת֖וֹ hū ’ā·yōm wə·nō·w·rā mim·men·nū yê·ṣê miš·pā·ṭōw ū·śə·’ê·ṯōw — WLC · 7
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Their horses are swifter than leopards, fiercer than wolves of the night. Their horsemen charge ahead, and their cavalry comes from afar. They fly like a vulture, swooping down to devour.
𐤎𐤅𐤎𐤉𐤅 𐤅𐤒𐤋𐤅 𐤌𐤍𐤌𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤇𐤃𐤅 𐤌𐤆𐤀𐤁𐤉 𐤏𐤓𐤁 𐤐𐤓𐤔𐤉𐤅 𐤅𐤐𐤔𐤅 𐤅𐤐𐤓𐤔𐤉𐤅 𐤉𐤁𐤀𐤅 𐤌𐤓𐤇𐤅𐤒 𐤉𐤏𐤐𐤅 𐤊𐤍𐤔𐤓 𐤇𐤔 𐤋𐤀𐤊𐤅𐤋
סוּסָ֗יו וְקַלּ֨וּ מִנְּמֵרִ֜ים וְחַדּוּ֙ מִזְּאֵ֣בֵי עֶ֔רֶב פָּֽרָשָׁ֑יו וּפָ֖שׁוּ וּפָֽרָשָׁיו֙ יָבֹ֔אוּ מֵרָח֣וֹק יָעֻ֕פוּ כְּנֶ֖שֶׁר חָ֥שׁ לֶאֱכֽוֹל׃ sū·sāw wə·qal·lū min·nə·mê·rîm wə·ḥad·dū miz·zə·’ê·ḇê ‘e·reḇ pā·rā·šāw ū·p̄ā·šū ū·p̄ā·rā·šāw yā·ḇō·’ū mê·rā·ḥō·wq yā·‘u·p̄ū kə·ne·šer ḥāš le·’ĕ·ḵō·wl — WLC · 8
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All of them come bent on violence; their hordes [advance like] the east [wind]; they gather prisoners like sand.
𐤊𐤋𐤄 𐤉𐤁𐤅𐤀 𐤌𐤂𐤌𐤕 𐤋𐤇𐤌𐤎 𐤐𐤍𐤉𐤄𐤌 𐤒𐤃𐤉𐤌𐤄 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤎𐤐 𐤔𐤁𐤉 𐤊𐤇𐤅𐤋
כֻּלֹּה֙ יָב֔וֹא מְגַמַּ֥ת לְחָמָ֣ס פְּנֵיהֶ֖ם קָדִ֑ימָה וַיֶּאֱסֹ֥ף שֶֽׁבִי׃ כַּח֖וֹל kul·lōh yā·ḇō·w mə·ḡam·maṯ lə·ḥā·mās pə·nê·hem qā·ḏî·māh way·ye·’ĕ·sōp̄ še·ḇî ka·ḥō·wl — WLC · 9
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They scoff at kings and {make} rulers an object of scorn They laugh at every fortress and build up siege ramps to seize it.
𐤅𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤉𐤕𐤒𐤋𐤎 𐤁𐤌𐤋𐤊𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤓𐤆𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤌𐤔𐤇𐤒 𐤋𐤅 𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤉𐤔𐤇𐤒 𐤋𐤊𐤋 𐤌𐤁𐤑𐤓 𐤅𐤉𐤑𐤁𐤓 𐤏𐤐𐤓 𐤅𐤉𐤋𐤊𐤃𐤄
וְהוּא֙ יִתְקַלָּ֔ס בַּמְּלָכִ֣ים וְרֹזְנִ֖ים מִשְׂחָ֣ק ל֑וֹ ה֚וּא יִשְׂחָ֔ק לְכָל־ מִבְצָ֣ר וַיִּצְבֹּ֥ר עָפָ֖ר וַֽיִּלְכְּדָֽהּ׃ wə·hū yiṯ·qal·lās bam·mə·lā·ḵîm wə·rō·zə·nîm miś·ḥāq lōw hū yiś·ḥāq lə·ḵāl miḇ·ṣār way·yiṣ·bōr ‘ā·p̄ār way·yil·kə·ḏāh — WLC · 10
11
Then they sweep by like the wind and pass through. They are guilty; their own strength is their god.”
𐤀𐤆 𐤇𐤋𐤐 𐤓𐤅𐤇 𐤅𐤉𐤏𐤁𐤓 𐤆𐤅 𐤅𐤀𐤔𐤌 𐤊𐤇𐤅 𐤋𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤅
אָ֣ז חָלַ֥ף ר֛וּחַ וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֖ר ז֥וּ וְאָשֵׁ֑ם כֹח֖וֹ לֵאלֹהֽוֹ׃ ’āz ḥā·lap̄ rū·aḥ way·ya·‘ă·ḇōr zū wə·’ā·šêm ḵō·ḥōw lê·lō·hōw — WLC · 11
Habakkuk’s Second Complaint
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Are You not from everlasting, O LORD, my God, my Holy One? vvv We will not die. O LORD, You have appointed them to execute judgment; O Rock, You have established them for correction.
𐤀𐤕𐤄 𐤄𐤋𐤅𐤀 𐤌𐤒𐤃𐤌 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤉 𐤒𐤃𐤔𐤉 𐤋𐤀 𐤍𐤌𐤅𐤕 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤔𐤌𐤕𐤅 𐤋𐤌𐤔𐤐𐤈 𐤅𐤑𐤅𐤓 𐤉𐤎𐤃𐤕𐤅 𐤋𐤄𐤅𐤊𐤉𐤇
אַתָּ֣ה הֲל֧וֹא מִקֶּ֗דֶם יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהַ֛י קְדֹשִׁ֖י לֹ֣א נָמ֑וּת יְהוָה֙ שַׂמְתּ֔וֹ לְמִשְׁפָּ֣ט וְצ֖וּר יְסַדְתּֽוֹ׃ לְהוֹכִ֥יחַ ’at·tāh hă·lō·w miq·qe·ḏem Yah·weh ’ĕ·lō·hay qə·ḏō·šî lō nā·mūṯ Yah·weh śam·tōw lə·miš·pāṭ wə·ṣūr yə·saḏ·tōw lə·hō·w·ḵî·aḥ — WLC · 12
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Your eyes are too pure to look upon evil, and You cannot… tolerate… wrongdoing. So why do You tolerate the faithless? Why are You silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?
𐤏𐤉𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤈𐤄𐤅𐤓 𐤌𐤓𐤀𐤅𐤕 𐤓𐤏 𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤅𐤊𐤋 𐤅𐤄𐤁𐤉𐤈 𐤀𐤋 𐤏𐤌𐤋 𐤋𐤌𐤄 𐤕𐤁𐤉𐤈 𐤁𐤅𐤂𐤃𐤉𐤌 𐤕𐤇𐤓𐤉𐤔 𐤓𐤔𐤏 𐤁𐤁𐤋𐤏 𐤑𐤃𐤉𐤒 𐤌𐤌𐤍𐤅
עֵינַ֙יִם֙ טְה֤וֹר מֵרְא֣וֹת רָ֔ע לֹ֣א תוּכָ֑ל וְהַבִּ֥יט אֶל־ עָמָ֖ל לָ֤מָּה תַבִּיט֙ בּֽוֹגְדִ֔ים תַּחֲרִ֕ישׁ רָשָׁ֖ע בְּבַלַּ֥ע צַדִּ֥יק מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ ‘ê·na·yim ṭə·hō·wr mê·rə·’ō·wṯ rā‘ lō ṯū·ḵāl wə·hab·bîṭ ’el- ‘ā·māl lām·māh ṯab·bîṭ bō·wḡ·ḏîm ta·ḥă·rîš rā·šā‘ bə·ḇal·la‘ ṣad·dîq mim·men·nū — WLC · 13
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You have made men like the fish of the sea, like creeping things [that have] no ruler
𐤅𐤕𐤏𐤔𐤄 𐤀𐤃𐤌 𐤊𐤃𐤂𐤉 𐤄𐤉𐤌 𐤊𐤓𐤌𐤔 𐤋𐤀 𐤌𐤔𐤋 𐤁𐤅
וַתַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה אָדָ֖ם כִּדְגֵ֣י הַיָּ֑ם כְּרֶ֖מֶשׂ לֹא־ מֹשֵׁ֥ל בּֽוֹ׃ wat·ta·‘ă·śeh ’ā·ḏām kiḏ·ḡê hay·yām kə·re·meś lō- mō·šêl bōw — WLC · 14
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[The foe] pulls all of them up with a hook; he catches them in his dragnet, and gathers them in his fishing net; so… he rejoices gladly…
𐤊𐤋𐤄 𐤄𐤏𐤋𐤄 𐤁𐤇𐤊𐤄 𐤉𐤂𐤓𐤄𐤅 𐤁𐤇𐤓𐤌𐤅 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤎𐤐𐤄𐤅 𐤁𐤌𐤊𐤌𐤓𐤕𐤅 𐤏𐤋 𐤊𐤍 𐤉𐤔𐤌𐤇 𐤅𐤉𐤂𐤉𐤋
כֻּלֹּה֙ הֵֽעֲלָ֔ה בְּחַכָּ֣ה יְגֹרֵ֣הוּ בְחֶרְמ֔וֹ וְיַאַסְפֵ֖הוּ בְּמִכְמַרְתּ֑וֹ עַל־ כֵּ֖ן יִשְׂמַ֥ח וְיָגִֽיל׃ kul·lōh hê·‘ă·lāh bə·ḥak·kāh yə·ḡō·rê·hū ḇə·ḥer·mōw wə·ya·’as·p̄ê·hū bə·miḵ·mar·tōw ‘al- kên yiś·maḥ wə·yā·ḡîl — WLC · 15
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Therefore… he sacrifices to his dragnet and burns incense to his fishing net, for by these things his portion is sumptuous and his food is rich.
𐤏𐤋 𐤊𐤍 𐤉𐤆𐤁𐤇 𐤋𐤇𐤓𐤌𐤅 𐤅𐤉𐤒𐤈𐤓 𐤋𐤌𐤊𐤌𐤓𐤕𐤅 𐤊𐤉 𐤁𐤄𐤌𐤄 𐤇𐤋𐤒𐤅 𐤔𐤌𐤍 𐤅𐤌𐤀𐤊𐤋𐤅 𐤁𐤓𐤀𐤄
עַל־ כֵּן֙ יְזַבֵּ֣חַ לְחֶרְמ֔וֹ וִֽיקַטֵּ֖ר לְמִכְמַרְתּ֑וֹ כִּ֤י בָהֵ֙מָּה֙ חֶלְק֔וֹ שָׁמֵ֣ן וּמַאֲכָל֖וֹ בְּרִאָֽה׃ ‘al- kên yə·zab·bê·aḥ lə·ḥer·mōw wî·qaṭ·ṭêr lə·miḵ·mar·tōw kî ḇā·hêm·māh ḥel·qōw šā·mên ū·ma·’ă·ḵā·lōw bə·ri·’āh — WLC · 16
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Will he, therefore, empty his net and continue to slay nations without mercy?
𐤄𐤏𐤋 𐤊𐤍 𐤉𐤓𐤉𐤒 𐤇𐤓𐤌𐤅 𐤅𐤕𐤌𐤉𐤃 𐤋𐤄𐤓𐤂 𐤂𐤅𐤉𐤌 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤇𐤌𐤅𐤋𐤎
הַ֥עַל כֵּ֖ן יָרִ֣יק חֶרְמ֑וֹ וְתָמִ֛יד לַהֲרֹ֥ג גּוֹיִ֖ם לֹ֥א יַחְמֽוֹל׃ס ha·‘al kên yā·rîq ḥer·mōw wə·ṯā·mîḏ la·hă·rōḡ gō·w·yim lō yaḥ·mō·wl — WLC · 17