Habakkuk’s First Complaint 1 ULT The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw. BSB BSB: This is the burden that Habakkuk the prophet received in a vision:
3 ULT Why do you make me see iniquity, and{ why} do you behold trouble? And destruction and violence{ are} to the front of me, and{ there} is strife, and contention arises. BSB BSB: Why do You make me see iniquity? Why do You tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me. Strife is ongoing, and conflict abounds.
4 ULT Therefore the law weakens, and justice does not go forth to perpetuity. For the wicked surrounds the righteous, therefore justice goes forth perverted.” BSB BSB: Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.
The LORD’s Answer 5 ULT “See among the nations and consider, and be amazed, be amazed! For I am working a work in your days{ that} you will not believe when it is recounted. BSB BSB: “Look at the nations and observe—be utterly astounded! For I am doing a work in your days that you would never believe even if someone told you.
6 ULT For behold me, raising up the Chaldeans, the bitter and hastening nation, the one going through the breadths of the earth to seize dwellings not to him. BSB BSB: For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans—that ruthless and impetuous nation which marches through the breadth of the earth to seize dwellings not their own.
7 ULT He{ is} dreadful and terrifying; from him goes forth his justice and his dignity. BSB BSB: They are dreaded and feared; from themselves they derive justice and sovereignty.
8 ULT And his horses are swifter than leopards, and they are fiercer than wolves of the evening. And his horsemen spread out, and his horsemen come from a distance, they fly like an eagle rushing to devour. BSB BSB: Their horses are swifter than leopards, fiercer than wolves of the night. Their horsemen charge ahead, and their cavalry comes from afar. They fly like a vulture, swooping down to devour.
9 ULT All of them will come for violence. The direction of their faces{ is} eastward, and he gathers captives like the sand. BSB BSB: All of them come bent on violence; their hordes advance like the east wind; they gather prisoners like sand.
10 ULT And he, he mocks at kings, and rulers{ are} laughter to him. He, he laughs at every fortress, for he piles up dirt and captures it. BSB BSB: They scoff at kings and make rulers an object of scorn. They laugh at every fortress and build up siege ramps to seize it.
11 ULT Then he sweeps by{ like} the wind and goes on. But he will become guilty, this{ one} whose might{ is} his god.” BSB BSB: Then they sweep by like the wind and pass through. They are guilty; their own strength is their god.”
Habakkuk’s Second Complaint (Psalm 11:1–7)
12 ULT “{ Are} you not from ancient times, Yahweh my God, my Holy One? We will not die. Yahweh, you have appointed him for judgment, and Rock, you have established him for correcting. BSB BSB: Are You not from everlasting, O LORD, my God, my Holy One? We will not die. O LORD, You have appointed them to execute judgment; O Rock, You have established them for correction.
13 ULT Your eyes are pure from seeing evil, and you are not able to look at trouble. Why do you look at treacherous ones, keep silent when the wicked devours{ one} more righteous than him? BSB BSB: Your eyes are too pure to look upon evil, and You cannot tolerate wrongdoing. So why do You tolerate the faithless? Why are You silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?
14 ULT And you make man like the fish of the sea, like a creeping thing{ with} no ruler over it. BSB BSB: You have made men like the fish of the sea, like creeping things that have no ruler.
15 ULT All of them, he brings up with a hook. He drags him with his net, and he gathers him with his dragnet. Therefore he rejoices and exults. BSB BSB: The foe pulls all of them up with a hook; he catches them in his dragnet, and gathers them in his fishing net; so he rejoices gladly.
16 ULT Therefore he sacrifices to his net and burns incense to his dragnet, for by them his portion{ is} fat and his food is rich. BSB BSB: Therefore he sacrifices to his dragnet and burns incense to his fishing net, for by these things his portion is sumptuous and his food is rich.
17 ULT Therefore will he empty his net, and will he not spare to slay the nations continually?” BSB BSB: Will he, therefore, empty his net and continue to slay nations without mercy?