Habakkuk 2

I Will Stand at My Watch

1I will stand at my watchpost
and station myself on the rampart.
I will watch to see
what he will speak to me
and what I will answer
concerning my complaint.

Write the Vision

2Then the LORD answered me and said:

“Write the vision;
make it plain on tablets,
so that the one who reads it
may run. 3For the vision is still
for the appointed time;
it breathes toward the end
and will not lie.
Though it delays, wait for it,
for it will surely come;
it will not be late. 4Look, his life is puffed up;
it is not upright within him,
but the righteous
will live by his faithfulness.

The Arrogant One Will Not Endure

5Indeed, wine betrays;
the arrogant man does not rest.
He enlarges his appetite like Sheol,
and like death he is never satisfied.
He gathers to himself all the nations
and collects to himself
all the peoples.

Woe to the One Who Piles Up What Is Not His

6Will not all these take up
a taunt against him,
a mocking riddle concerning him, and say:

“Woe to the one who multiplies
what is not his—
for how long?—
and loads himself
with pledges! 7Will not your creditors
suddenly rise,
and those who make you tremble awaken?
Then you will become
plunder for them. 8Because you plundered many nations,
all the remnant of the peoples
will plunder you,
because of human blood
and violence against the land,
the city,
and all who live in it.

Woe to the One Who Gains Evil Gain

9Woe to the one who gains
evil gain for his house,
setting his nest on high
to be delivered
from the hand of disaster! 10You have counseled shame
for your house,
cutting off many peoples,
and you have sinned
against your own life. 11For a stone from the wall
will cry out,
and a beam from the woodwork
will answer it.

Woe to the One Who Builds a City with Blood

12Woe to the one who builds a city
with blood
and establishes a town
with injustice! 13Look, is it not from the LORD of Hosts
that peoples labor
only for fire
and nations weary themselves
for emptiness? 14For the earth will be filled
with the knowledge
of the glory of the LORD
as the waters cover the sea.

Woe to the One Who Makes His Neighbor Drink

15Woe to the one
who makes his neighbor drink,
pouring out your wrath
and making them drunk
in order to gaze
upon their nakedness! 16You are filled with shame
instead of glory.
Drink—you also—
and expose your uncircumcision!
The cup in the LORD’s right hand
will come around to you,
and disgrace
will cover your glory. 17For the violence done to Lebanon
will cover you,
and the destruction of animals
will terrify you,
because of human blood
and violence against the land,
the city,
and all who live in it.

What Profit Is an Idol?

18What profit is a carved image
when its maker has carved it,
a cast image
and a teacher of falsehood?
For its maker trusts
in what he has made
when he makes
speechless idols. 19Woe to the one who says to wood,
“Wake up!”
to silent stone,
“Rise!”
Can it teach?
Look, it is overlaid
with gold and silver,
and there is no breath at all
within it. 20But the LORD
is in his holy temple.
Let all the earth
be silent before him.