King James Version KJV
Revised Standard Version RSV
1 The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.
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The oracle of God which Habak'kuk the prophet saw.
2 O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!
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O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and thou wilt not hear? Or cry to thee "Violence!" and thou wilt not save?
3 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.
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Why dost thou make me see wrongs and look upon trouble? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise.
4 Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.
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So the law is slacked and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous, so justice goes forth perverted.
5 Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.
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Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.
6 For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs.
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For lo, I am rousing the Chalde'ans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize habitations not their own.
7 They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves.
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Dread and terrible are they; their justice and dignity proceed from themselves.
8 Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat.
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Their horses are swifter than leopards, more fierce than the evening wolves; their horsemen press proudly on. Yea, their horsemen come from afar; they fly like an eagle swift to devour.
9 They shall come all for violence: their faces shall sup up as the east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the sand.
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They all come for violence; terror of them goes before them. They gather captives like sand.
10 And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a scorn unto them: they shall deride every strong hold; for they shall heap dust, and take it.
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At kings they scoff, and of rulers they make sport. They laugh at every fortress, for they heap up earth and take it.
11 Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend, imputing this his power unto his god.
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Then they sweep by like the wind and go on, guilty men, whose own might is their god!
12 Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction.
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Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them as a judgment; and thou, O Rock, hast established them for chastisement.
13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?
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Thou who art of purer eyes than to behold evil and canst not look on wrong, why dost thou look on faithless men, and art silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?
14 And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?
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For thou makest men like the fish of the sea, like crawling things that have no ruler.
15 They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: therefore they rejoice and are glad.
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He brings all of them up with a hook, he drags them out with his net, he gathers them in his seine; so he rejoices and exults.
16 Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous.
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Therefore he sacrifices to his net and burns incense to his seine; for by them he lives in luxury, and his food is rich.
17 Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations?
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Is he then to keep on emptying his net, and mercilessly slaying nations for ever?
The King James Version is in the public domain.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.