1 The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw.

2 O Lord, how long shall I cry for help,

and you will not hear?

Or cry to you “Violence!”

and you will not save?

3 Why do you make me see iniquity,

and why do you idly look at wrong?

Destruction and violence are before me;

strife and contention arise.

4 So the law is paralyzed,

and justice never goes forth.

For the wicked surround the righteous;

so justice goes forth perverted.

5 “Look among the nations, and see;

wonder and be astounded.

For I am doing a work in your days

that you would not believe if told.

6 For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans,

that bitter and hasty nation,

who march through the breadth of the earth,

to seize dwellings not their own.

1 The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.

2 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 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 slacked, and judgment doth never go forth:

For the wicked doth compass about the righteous;

Therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.

5 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 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.

1 This is the message that the prophet Habakkuk received in a vision.

2 How long, O Lord, must I call for help?

But you do not listen!

“Violence is everywhere!” I cry,

but you do not come to save.

3 Must I forever see these evil deeds?

Why must I watch all this misery?

Wherever I look,

I see destruction and violence.

I am surrounded by people

who love to argue and fight.

4 The law has become paralyzed,

and there is no justice in the courts.

The wicked far outnumber the righteous,

so that justice has become perverted.

5 The Lord replied,

“Look around at the nations;

look and be amazed!

For I am doing something in your own day,

something you wouldn’t believe

even if someone told you about it.

6 I am raising up the Babylonians,

a cruel and violent people.

They will march across the world

and conquer other lands.

1 The burden which the prophet Habakkuk saw.

2 O Lord, how long shall I cry,

And You will not hear?

Even cry out to You, “Violence!”

And You will not save.

3 Why do You show me iniquity,

And cause me to see trouble?

For plundering and violence are before me;

There is strife, and contention arises.

4 Therefore the law is powerless,

And justice never goes forth.

For the wicked surround the righteous;

Therefore perverse judgment proceeds.

5 “Look among the nations and watch—

Be utterly astounded!

For I will work a work in your days

Which you would not believe, though it were told you.

6 For indeed I am raising up the Chaldeans,

A bitter and hasty nation

Which marches through the breadth of the earth,

To possess dwelling places that are not theirs.

1 This is the message Habakkuk the prophet received.

2 Lord, how long must I ask for help

and you ignore me?

I cry out to you about violence,

but you do not save us!

3 Why do you make me see wrong things

and make me look at trouble?

People are destroying things and hurting others in front of me;

they are arguing and fighting.

4 So the teachings are weak,

and justice never comes.

Evil people gain while good people lose;

the judges no longer make fair decisions.

5 “Look at the nations!

Watch them and be amazed and shocked.

I will do something in your lifetime

that you won’t believe even when you are told about it.

6 I will use the Babylonians,

those cruel and wild people

who march across the earth

and take lands that don’t belong to them.

1 The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.

2 O Jehovah, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear? I cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save. 3 Why dost thou show me iniquity, and look upon perverseness? for destruction and violence are before me; and there is strife, and contention riseth up. 4 Therefore the law is slacked, and justice doth never go forth; for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore justice goeth forth perverted.

5 Behold ye among the nations, and look, and wonder marvellously; for I am working a work in your days, which ye will not believe though it be told you. 6 For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, that march through the breadth of the earth, to possess dwelling-places that are not theirs.

1 The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see. 2 Jehovah, how long shall I cry and thou wilt not hear? I cry out unto thee, Violence! and thou dost not save. 3 Why dost thou cause me to see iniquity, and lookest thou upon grievance? For spoiling and violence are before me; and there is strife, and contention riseth up. 4 Therefore the law is powerless, and justice doth never go forth; for the wicked encompasseth the righteous; therefore judgment goeth forth perverted.

5 See ye among the nations, and behold, and wonder marvellously; for I work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be declared to you. 6 For behold, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and impetuous nation, which marcheth through the breadth of the earth, to possess dwelling-places that are not theirs.

1 The divine revelation that the prophet Habakkuk saw. 

2 How long, O Lord, am I to cry for help, 

but you will not listen? 

I cry out to you, “There’s violence!” 

yet you will not come to the rescue. 

3 Why do you make me see wrongdoing? 

And why do you watch wickedness? 

Destruction and violence are in front of me. 

Quarrels and disputes arise. 

4 That is why your teaching is numbed, 

and justice is never carried out. 

Wicked people surround righteous people 

so that when justice is carried out, it’s perverted. 

5 Look among the nations and watch. 

Be amazed and astonished. 

I am going to do something in your days 

that you would not believe even if it were reported to you. 

6 I am going to send the Babylonians, 

that fierce and reckless nation. 

They will march throughout the earth 

to take possession of lands that don’t belong to them. 

1 The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw.

2 How long, Lord, must I call for help

and You do not listen

or cry out to You about violence

and You do not save?

3 Why do You force me to look at injustice?

Why do You tolerate wrongdoing?

Oppression and violence are right in front of me.

Strife is ongoing, and conflict escalates.

4 This is why the law is ineffective

and justice never emerges.

For the wicked restrict the righteous;

therefore, justice comes out perverted.

5 Look at the nations and observe —

be utterly astounded!

For something is taking place in your days

that you will not believe

when you hear about it.

6 Look! I am raising up the Chaldeans,

that bitter, impetuous nation

that marches across the earth’s open spaces

to seize territories not its own.

1 The oracle that the prophet Habakkuk saw.

2 O Lord, how long shall I cry for help,

and you will not listen?

Or cry to you “Violence!”

and you will not save?

3 Why do you make me see wrongdoing

and look at trouble?

Destruction and violence are before me;

strife and contention arise.

4 So the law becomes slack

and justice never prevails.

The wicked surround the righteous—

therefore judgment comes forth perverted.

5 Look at the nations, and see!

Be astonished! Be astounded!

For a work is being done in your days

that you would not believe if you were told.

6 For I am rousing the Chaldeans,

that fierce and impetuous nation,

who march through the breadth of the earth

to seize dwellings not their own.

1 The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw.

2 O Yahweh, how long shall I cry for help

and you will not listen?

How long will I cry out to you, “Violence!”

and you will not save?

3 Why do you cause me to see evil

while you look at trouble?

Destruction and violence happen before me;

contention and strife arise.

4 Therefore the law is paralyzed,

and justice does not go forth perpetually.

For the wicked surround the righteous;

therefore justice goes forth perverted.

5 “Look among the nations and see;

be astonished and astounded.

For a work is about to be done in your days

that you will not believe if it is told.

6 For look! I am raising up the Chaldeans,

the bitter and impetuous nation,

the one who walks through the spacious places of earth

to take possession of dwellings not belonging to it.

1 This is a vision the prophet Habakkuk received from the Lord. Here is what Habakkuk said.

2 Lord, how long do I have to call out for help?

Why don’t you listen to me?

How long must I keep telling you

that things are terrible?

Why don’t you save us?

3 Why do you make me watch while

people treat others so unfairly?

Why do you put up with the wrong things

they are doing?

I have to look at death.

People are harming others.

They are arguing and fighting all the time.

4 The law can’t do what it’s supposed to do.

Fairness never comes out on top.

Sinful people surround those

who do what is right.

So people are never treated fairly.

5 The Lord replies,

“Look at the nations. Watch them.

Be totally amazed at what you see.

I am going to do something in your days

that you would never believe.

You would not believe it

even if someone told you about it.

6 I am going to send the armies of Babylonia to attack you.

They are very mean. They move quickly.

They sweep across the whole earth.

They take over places

that do not belong to them.

1 The oracle which Habakkuk the prophet saw.

2 How long, O Lord, will I call for help,

And You will not hear?

I cry out to You, “Violence!”

Yet You do not save.

3 Why do You make me see iniquity,

And cause me to look on wickedness?

Yes, destruction and violence are before me;

Strife exists and contention arises.

4 Therefore the law is ignored

And justice is never upheld.

For the wicked surround the righteous;

Therefore justice comes out perverted.

5 “Look among the nations! Observe!

Be astonished! Wonder!

Because I am doing something in your days—

You would not believe if you were told.

6 “For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans,

That fierce and impetuous people

Who march throughout the earth

To seize dwelling places which are not theirs.