Habakkuk 1:9–11

9 they all come intent on violence.

Their hordes advance like a desert wind

and gather prisoners like sand.

10 They mock kings

and scoff at rulers.

They laugh at all fortified cities;

by building earthen ramps they capture them.

11 Then they sweep past like the wind and go on—

guilty people, whose own strength is their god.”

9 They shall come all for violence:

Their faces shall sup up as the east wind,

And they shall gather the captivity as the sand.

10 And they shall scoff at the kings,

And the princes shall be a scorn unto them:

They shall deride every strong hold;

For they shall heap dust, and take it.

11 Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend,

Imputing this his power unto his god.

9 “On they come, all bent on violence.

Their hordes advance like a desert wind,

sweeping captives ahead of them like sand.

10 They scoff at kings and princes

and scorn all their fortresses.

They simply pile ramps of earth

against their walls and capture them!

11 They sweep past like the wind

and are gone.

But they are deeply guilty,

for their own strength is their god.”

9 “They all come for violence;

Their faces are set like the east wind.

They gather captives like sand.

10 They scoff at kings,

And princes are scorned by them.

They deride every stronghold,

For they heap up earthen mounds and seize it.

11 Then his mind changes, and he transgresses;

He commits offense,

Ascribing this power to his god.”

9 They all come to fight.

Nothing can stop them.

Their prisoners are as many as the grains of sand.

10 They laugh at kings

and make fun of rulers.

They laugh at all the strong, walled cities

and build dirt piles to the top of the walls to capture them.

11 Then they leave like the wind and move on.

They are guilty of worshiping their own strength.”

9 They come all of them for violence; the set of their faces is forwards; and they gather captives as the sand. 10 Yea, he scoffeth at kings, and princes are a derision unto him; he derideth every stronghold; for he heapeth up dust, and taketh it. 11 Then shall he sweep by as a wind, and shall pass over, and be guilty, even he whose might is his god.

9 They come all of them for violence: the crowd of their faces is forwards, and they gather captives as the sand. 10 Yea, he scoffeth at kings, and princes are a scorn unto him; he derideth every stronghold: for he heapeth up dust, and taketh it. 11 Then will his mind change, and he will pass on, and become guilty: this his power is become his †god.

9 They will all come for violence. 

Every face will be directed forward. 

They will gather prisoners like sand. 

10 They will make fun of kings and treat rulers as a joke. 

They will laugh at every fortified city 

and build a dirt ramp to capture it. 

11 They will move quickly and pass through like the wind. 

So they will be guilty, 

because their own strength is their god. 

9 All of them come to do violence;

their faces are set in determination.

They gather prisoners like sand.

10 They mock kings,

and rulers are a joke to them.

They laugh at every fortress

and build siege ramps to capture it.

11 Then they sweep by like the wind

and pass through.

They are guilty; their strength is their god.

9 They all come for violence,

with faces pressing forward;

they gather captives like sand.

10 At kings they scoff,

and of rulers they make sport.

They laugh at every fortress

and heap up earth to take it.

11 Then they sweep by like the wind;

they transgress and become guilty;

their own might is their god!

9 All of them come for violence,

their faces pressing forward.

They gather captives like the sand.

10 And they themselves scoff at kings

and rulers are a joke to them.

They laugh at every fortification,

and they heap up earth and take it.

11 Then they sweep like the wind and pass on;

they become guilty, whose might is their god!”

9 All of them are ready to destroy others.

Their huge armies advance like a wind out of the desert.

They gather prisoners like sand.

10 They laugh at kings

and make fun of rulers.

They laugh at all of the cities

that have high walls around them.

They build dirt ramps against the walls

and capture the cities.

11 They sweep past like the wind.

Then they go on their way.

They are guilty.

They worship their own strength.”

9 “All of them come for violence.

Their horde of faces moves forward.

They collect captives like sand.

10 “They mock at kings

And rulers are a laughing matter to them.

They laugh at every fortress

And heap up rubble to capture it.

11 “Then they will sweep through like the wind and pass on.

But they will be held guilty,

They whose strength is their god.”