Habakkuk 1:14–17

You make mankind like the fish of the sea,

like crawling things that have no ruler.

He brings all of them up with a hook;

he drags them out with his net;

he gathers them in his dragnet;

so he rejoices and is glad.

Therefore he sacrifices to his net

and makes offerings to his dragnet;

for by them he lives in luxury,

and his food is rich.

Is he then to keep on emptying his net

and mercilessly killing nations forever?

You have made people like the fish in the sea,

like the sea creatures that have no ruler.

The wicked foe pulls all of them up with hooks,

he catches them in his net,

he gathers them up in his dragnet;

and so he rejoices and is glad.

Therefore he sacrifices to his net

and burns incense to his dragnet,

for by his net he lives in luxury

and enjoys the choicest food.

Is he to keep on emptying his net,

destroying nations without mercy?

You have made mankind

like the fish of the sea,

like marine creatures that have no ruler.

The Chaldeans pull them all up with a hook,

catch them in their dragnet,

and gather them in their fishing net;

that is why they are glad and rejoice.

That is why they sacrifice to their dragnet

and burn incense to their fishing net,

for by these things their portion is rich

and their food plentiful.

Will they therefore empty their net and continually slaughter nations without mercy?

Are we only fish to be caught and killed?

Are we only sea creatures that have no leader?

Must we be strung up on their hooks

and caught in their nets while they rejoice and celebrate?

Then they will worship their nets

and burn incense in front of them.

“These nets are the gods who have made us rich!”

they will claim.

Will you let them get away with this forever?

Will they succeed forever in their heartless conquests?

You make humankind like fish of the sea,

like crawling creatures that have no ruler among them.

He brings up all of them with a fishhook;

he drags them up with his fishnet,

and he gathers them in his dragnet.

Therefore, he rejoices and exults.

Therefore he sacrifices to his fishnet

and makes offerings to his dragnet,

for by them he makes a good living

and his food is rich.

Will he therefore empty his fishnet

and continually kill nations without showing mercy?

And makest men as the fishes of the sea,

As the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?

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.

Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag;

Because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous.

Shall they therefore empty their net,

And not spare continually to slay the nations?