Habakkuk
Chapter 2
1 I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and
will look out to see what He will speak by me, and what I shall answer when I am
reproved.
2 And HaShem answered me, and said: 'Write the vision, and
make it plain upon tables, that a man may read it swiftly.
3 For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it
declareth of the end, and doth not lie; though it tarry, wait for it; because it
will surely come, it will not delay.'
4 Behold, his soul is puffed up, it is not upright in him;
but the righteous shall live by his faith.
5 Yea, moreover, wine is a treacherous dealer; the haughty
man abideth not; he who enlargeth his desire as the nether-world, and is as
death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth
unto him all peoples.
6 Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a
taunting riddle against him, and say: 'Woe to him that increaseth that which is
not his! how long? and that ladeth himself with many pledges!'
7 Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall exact interest
of thee, and awake that shall violently shake thee, and thou shalt be for
booties unto them?
8 Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of
the peoples shall spoil thee; because of men's blood, and for the violence done
to the land, to the city and to all that dwell therein.
9 Woe to him that gaineth evil gains for his house, that he
may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil!
10 Thou hast devised shame to thy house, by cutting off many
peoples, and hast forfeited thy life.
11 For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out
of the timber shall answer it.
12 Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and
establisheth a city by iniquity!
13 Behold, is it not of HaShem of hosts that the peoples
labour for the fire, and the nations weary themselves for vanity?
14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the
glory of HaShem, as the waters cover the sea.
15 Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest
thy venom thereto, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their
nakedness!
16 Thou art filled with shame instead of glory, drink thou
also, and be uncovered; the cup of HaShem'S right hand shall be turned unto
thee, and filthiness shall be upon thy glory.
17 For the violence done to Lebanon shall cover thee, and the
destruction of the beasts, which made them afraid; because of men's blood, and
for the violence done to the land, to the city and to all that dwell therein.
18 What profiteth the graven image, that the maker thereof
hath graven it, even the molten image, and the teacher of lies; that the maker
of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols?
19 Woe unto him that saith to the wood: 'Awake', to the dumb
stone: 'Arise!' Can this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and
there is no breath at all in the midst of it.
20 But HaShem is in His holy temple; let all the earth keep
silence before Him.
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