2ND CHAPTER

Habakkuk Waits for the Lord’s Answer

1  I will stand at my guard post. 

I will station myself on the wall. 

I will watch to see what he will say to me 

and what answer I will get to my complaint. 

The Lord’s Answer

2  Then the Lord answered me, 

“Write the vision. 

Make it clear on tablets 

so that anyone can read it quickly. 

3  The vision will still happen at the appointed time. 

It hurries toward its goal. 

It won’t be a lie. 

If it’s delayed, wait for it. 

It will certainly happen. 

It won’t be late. 

4  “Look at the proud person. He is not right in himself. 

But the righteous person will live because of his faithfulness.a

5  Also because wine is treacherous 

he is arrogant and never rests. 

He has a large appetite like the grave. 

He is like death—never satisfied. 

He gathers all the nations to himself. 

He collects all the people to himself. 

6  Won’t all of them ridicule him, 

directing clever sayings and riddles at him, like: 

“ ‘How horrible it will be for the one who makes himself rich 

with what is not his own 

and makes himself wealthy on loans. 

How long will this go on?’ 

7  Won’t your creditors suddenly rise up 

and those who are going to shake you wake up? 

Then you will become their prize. 

8  You have looted many nations. 

All the rest of the people will loot you 

because of the slaughter and violence done 

to lands, cities, and all their inhabitants. 

9  “ ‘How horrible it will be for the one who uses violence 

to get things for his own household 

in order to set his nest up high 

and save himself from disaster.’ 

10  You have planned disgrace for your household 

by cutting off many people and forfeiting your own life. 

11  A stone in the wall will cry out. 

A beam in the roof will answer it. 

12  “ ‘How horrible it will be for the one who builds a city by slaughter 

and founds a town by crime.’ 

13  Isn’t it from the Lord of Armies 

that people grow tired only to feed the flames 

and nations exhaust themselves for nothing? 

14  But the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord’s glory 

like the water covers the sea. 

15  “ ‘How horrible it will be for the one who makes his neighbor drink 

from the bowl of God’s rage, 

making him drunk in order to stare at his nakedness.’ 

16  You are filled with disgrace rather than glory. 

Drink! Yes you! And expose yourself as godless. 

The cup in the Lord’s right hand will come around to you, 

and disgrace will cover your glory. 

17  The violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, 

and the destruction done to the animals will terrify you 

because of the slaughter and violence done 

to lands, cities, and all their inhabitants. 

18  “What benefit is there in a carved idol 

when its maker has carved it? 

What benefit is there in a molded statue, a teacher of lies, 

when its maker has molded it? 

The one who formed it trusts himself 

to make worthless idols that cannot speak. 

19  ‘How horrible it will be for the one 

who says to a piece of wood, “Wake up!” 

and to a stone that cannot talk, “Get up!” ’ 

Can that thing teach ⸤anyone⸥? 

Just look at it! 

It’s covered with gold and silver, 

but there’s absolutely no life in it.” 

20  The Lord is in his holy temple. 

All the earth should be silent in his presence.