Habakkuk 1:1–11

The oracle ^athat Habakkuk the prophet saw. ^b

Habakkuk’s First Prayer

²How long, ^cLord, must I call for help ^d

and You do not listen

or cry out to You about violence ^ef

and You do not save?

³Why do You force me to look at injustice? ^g

Why do You tolerate ^hwrongdoing?

Oppression and violence are right in front of me.

Strife is ongoing, and conflict escalates.

⁴This is why the law is ineffective

and justice never emerges.

For the wicked restrict ⁱthe righteous;

therefore, justice ^jcomes out perverted.

God’s First Answer

⁵Look at the nations ^kland observe ^m—

be utterly astounded! ⁿ

For something is taking place in your days

that you will not believe ^o

when you hear about it. ^p

⁶Look! I am raising up ^qthe Chaldeans, ^r

that bitter, ^simpetuous nation

that marches across the earth’s open spaces

to seize territories not its own.

⁷They are fierce ^tand terrifying;

their views of justice and sovereignty

stem from themselves.

⁸Their horses are swifter ^uthan leopards ^v

and more fierce ^wthan wolves of the night.

Their horsemen charge ahead;

their horsemen come from distant lands.

They fly like an eagle, swooping to devour. ^x

⁹All of them come to do violence;

their faces ^yare set in determination. ^z

They gather ^aprisoners like sand. ^b

¹⁰They mock ^ckings,

and rulers are a joke to them.

They laugh ^dat every fortress

and build siege ramps to capture ^eit.

¹¹Then they sweep ^fby like the wind

and pass through.

They are guilty; ^gtheir strength is their god.