(A)How long, Lord, have I called for help,
And You do not hear?
I cry out to You, “Violence!”
Yet You do (B)not save.
Why do You make me (C)see disaster,
And make me look at destitution?
Yes, (D)devastation and violence are before me;
(E)Strife exists and contention arises.
Therefore the (F)Law [a]is ignored,
And justice [b]is never upheld.
For the wicked (G)surround the righteous;
Therefore justice comes out (H)confused.

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Footnotes

  1. Habakkuk 1:4 Or is ineffective; lit turns cold
  2. Habakkuk 1:4 Lit never goes forth

The prophet complains

Lord, how long will I call for help and you not listen?
        I cry out to you, “Violence!”
            but you don’t deliver us.
Why do you show me injustice and look at anguish
        so that devastation and violence are before me?
There is strife, and conflict abounds.
        The Instruction is ineffective.
            Justice does not endure
            because the wicked surround the righteous.
        Justice becomes warped.

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Habakkuk’s Complaint

How long,(A) Lord, must I call for help,
    but you do not listen?(B)
Or cry out to you, “Violence!”
    but you do not save?(C)
Why do you make me look at injustice?
    Why do you tolerate(D) wrongdoing?(E)
Destruction and violence(F) are before me;
    there is strife,(G) and conflict abounds.
Therefore the law(H) is paralyzed,
    and justice never prevails.
The wicked hem in the righteous,
    so that justice(I) is perverted.(J)

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