Habakkuk 1:1–4

The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw.

O Lord, how long shall I cry for help,

and you will not hear?

Or cry to you “Violence!”

and you will not save?

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.

So the law is paralyzed,

and justice never goes forth.

For the wicked surround the righteous;

so justice goes forth perverted.

The prophecy that Habakkuk the prophet received.

How long, Lord, must I call for help,

but you do not listen?

Or cry out to you, “Violence!”

but you do not save?

Why do you make me look at injustice?

Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?

Destruction and violence are before me;

there is strife, and conflict abounds.

Therefore the law is paralyzed,

and justice never prevails.

The wicked hem in the righteous,

so that justice is perverted.

The pronouncement that the prophet Habakkuk saw.

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?

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.

This is why the law is ineffective

and justice never emerges.

For the wicked restrict the righteous;

therefore, justice comes out perverted.

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

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.

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.

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.

The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw.

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?

Why do you cause me to see evil

while you look at trouble?

Destruction and violence happen before me;

contention and strife arise.

Therefore the law is paralyzed,

and justice does not go forth perpetually.

For the wicked surround the righteous;

therefore justice goes forth perverted.

The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.

O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear!

Even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!

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.

Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth:

For the wicked doth compass about the righteous;

Therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.