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12 
Are You not from everlasting,
O Lord, my God, My Holy One?
We will not die.
O Lord, You have appointed the Chaldeans [who rule in Babylon] to execute [Your] judgment,
And You, O Rock, have established them to correct and chastise.(A)
13 
Your eyes are too pure to approve evil,
And You cannot look favorably on wickedness.
Why then do You look favorably
On those who act treacherously?
Why are you silent when the wicked (Chaldean oppressors) destroy
Those more righteous than they?
14 
Why do You make men like the fish of the sea,
Like reptiles and creeping things that have no ruler [and are helpless against their enemies]?
15 
The Chaldeans bring all of them up with a hook,
And drag them away with a net,
And gather them together in their fishing net;
So they rejoice and are glad.
16 
Therefore, they offer sacrifices to their net
And burn incense to their fishing net;
Because through these things their catch is large and they live luxuriously,
And their food is plentiful.
17 
Will they continue to empty their net
And [mercilessly] go on destroying nations without sparing?

God Answers the Prophet

I will stand at my guard post
And station myself on the tower;
And I will keep watch to see what He will say to me,
And what answer I will give [as His spokesman] when I am reproved.

12 Are You not from (A)time everlasting,
Lord, my God, my Holy One?
We will not die.
You, Lord, have (B)appointed them to deliver judgment;
And You, O (C)Rock, have destined them to punish.
13 Your eyes are too (D)pure to look at evil,
And You cannot look at harm favorably.
Why do You (E)look favorably
At those who deal (F)treacherously?
Why are You (G)silent when the wicked (H)swallow up
Those more righteous than they?
14 Why have You made people like the fish of the sea,
Like crawling things that have no ruler over them?
15 The Chaldeans (I)bring all of them up with a hook,
(J)Drag them away with their net,
And gather them together in their fishing net.
Therefore they rejoice and are joyful.
16 Therefore they offer a sacrifice to their net
And [a]burn incense to their fishing net,
Because through (K)these things their [b]catch is [c]large,
And their food is [d]plentiful.
17 Will they therefore empty their (L)net,
And continually (M)slay nations without sparing?

God Answers the Prophet

I will (N)stand at my guard post
And station myself on the watchtower;
And I will (O)keep watch to see (P)what He will say to me,
And how I may reply [e]when I am reprimanded.

Footnotes

  1. Habakkuk 1:16 Or sacrifice
  2. Habakkuk 1:16 Lit portion
  3. Habakkuk 1:16 Lit fat; or plentiful
  4. Habakkuk 1:16 Lit fat
  5. Habakkuk 2:1 Lit upon my reprimand