Habakkuk 2:9–12

“Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house,

to set his nest on high,

to be safe from the reach of harm!

You have devised shame for your house

by cutting off many peoples;

you have forfeited your life.

For the stone will cry out from the wall,

and the beam from the woodwork respond.

“Woe to him who builds a town with blood

and founds a city on iniquity!

“Woe to him who builds his house by unjust gain,

setting his nest on high

to escape the clutches of ruin!

You have plotted the ruin of many peoples,

shaming your own house and forfeiting your life.

The stones of the wall will cry out,

and the beams of the woodwork will echo it.

“Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed

and establishes a town by injustice!

Woe to him who dishonestly makes

wealth for his house

to place his nest on high,

to escape the grasp of disaster!

You have planned shame for your house

by wiping out many peoples

and sinning against your own self.

For the stones will cry out from the wall,

and the rafters will answer them

from the woodwork.

Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed

and founds a town with injustice!

“What sorrow awaits you who build big houses

with money gained dishonestly!

You believe your wealth will buy security,

putting your family’s nest beyond the reach of danger.

But by the murders you committed,

you have shamed your name and forfeited your lives.

The very stones in the walls cry out against you,

and the beams in the ceilings echo the complaint.

“What sorrow awaits you who build cities

with money gained through murder and corruption!

Woe to him who obtains profit from evil gain for his house,

to set his nest on high,

to be saved from the hand of misfortune!

You have plotted shame for your house,

cutting off many peoples

and sinning against your life.

For the stone will cry out from the wall,

and the plaster from the wood will answer it.

Woe to him who builds a city by bloodguilt,

and who founds a city by wickedness!

Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house,

That he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil!

Thou hast consulted shame to thy house

By cutting off many people,

And hast sinned against thy soul.

For the stone shall cry out of the wall,

And the beam out of the timber shall answer it.

Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood,

And stablisheth a city by iniquity!