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Moreover, wealth[a] is treacherous;
    the arrogant do not endure.
They open their throats wide as Sheol;
    like Death they never have enough.
They gather all nations for themselves
    and collect all peoples as their own.(A)

The Woes of the Wicked

Shall not everyone taunt such people and, with mocking riddles, say about them,

“Alas for you who heap up what is not your own!”
    How long will you load yourselves with goods taken in pledge?(B)
Will not your own creditors suddenly rise
    and those who make you tremble wake up?
    Then you will be plunder for them.
Because you have plundered many nations,
    all who survive of the peoples shall plunder you—
because of human bloodshed and violence to the earth,
    to cities and all who live in them.(C)

“Alas for you who get evil gain for your house,
    setting your nest on high
    to be safe from the reach of harm!”(D)
10 You have devised shame for your house
    by cutting off many peoples;
    you have forfeited your life.(E)
11 The very stones will cry out from the wall,
    and the rafter will respond from the woodwork.

12 “Alas for you who build a town by bloodshed
    and found a city on iniquity!”(F)
13 Is it not from the Lord of hosts
    that peoples labor only to feed the flames
    and nations weary themselves for nothing?
14 But the earth will be filled
    with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord,
    as the waters cover the sea.(G)

15 “Alas for you who make your neighbors drink,
    pouring out your wrath until they are drunk,
    in order to gaze on their nakedness!”(H)
16 You will be sated with contempt instead of glory.
    Drink, you yourself, and stagger![b]
The cup in the Lord’s right hand
    will come around to you,
    and shame will come upon your glory!(I)
17 For the violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you;
    the destruction of the animals will terrify you—[c]
because of human bloodshed and violence to the earth,
    to cities and all who live in them.(J)

18 What use is an idol
    once its maker has shaped it—
    a cast image, a teacher of lies?
For its maker trusts in what has been made,
    though the product is only an idol that cannot speak!(K)
19 Alas for you who say to the wood, “Wake up!”
    to silent stone, “Rouse yourself!”
    Can it teach?
See, it is gold and silver plated,
    and there is no breath in it at all.(L)

20 But the Lord is in his holy temple;
    let all the earth keep silence before him!(M)

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Footnotes

  1. 2.5 Q mss: MT wine
  2. 2.16 Q ms Gk: MT be uncircumcised
  3. 2.17 Gk Syr: Heb terrify them

Moreover, just as wine leads astray the proud and powerful man,
    he[a] remains restless;
he[b] has expanded his appetite—
    like the afterlife[c] or death itself, he[d] is never satisfied.
He[e] gathers to himself all of the nations,
    taking captive all of the people for himself.”

Judgment on the Plunderer of Nations

“Will not all of these ridicule him
    with mocking scorn? They will say,
‘Woe to the one who hordes for himself what isn’t his.
    How long will you enrich yourself by extortion?’[f]
Won’t your creditors revolt unexpectedly?
    Won’t those who make you tremble wake up?
        As a result, you’ll become their prey!
Because you plundered many nations,
    all of their remnants will plunder you.
Human blood has been shed,[g]
    and violence has been done to[h] the land,
        to the city, and to all who live in it.”

Judgment on Those who Think They are Safe

“Woe to the one who amasses profit upon unjust profit
    in order to establish his household,
so he can establish a secure place[i] on the heights
    and escape from the power of evil.
10 You have brought shame to yourself[j] by killing many people—
    you are forfeiting your own life.
11 Indeed, the stone will cry out from the wall
    and the rafter will respond from the woodwork.”

Judgment on the Lawless

12 “Woe to the one who founds a city upon bloodshed,
    and constructs a city by lawlessness.
13 Is it not because of the Lord of the Heavenly Armies
    that people grow tired putting out fires,[k]
        and nations weary themselves over nothing?
14 Indeed, the earth will be filled
    with knowledge of the glory of the Lord,
        as water fills[l] the sea.”

Judgment on the Violent

15 “Woe to the one who supplies his neighbor with a drink!
    You are forcing your bottle[m] on him,[n]
        making him drunk so you can see them naked.
16 You are filled with dishonor instead of glory.
    So go ahead,[o] drink and be naked!
    The Lord[p] will turn against you,
    and utter disgrace will debase your reputation.[q]
17 Indeed, the violence done to Lebanon will overtake you,
    and the destruction of the beasts will terrorize you—[r]
because you shed human blood
    and did violence to[s] the land, to the city, and to all who live in it.”

Judgment on the Idol Maker

18 “Where is the benefit in owning[t] a carved image,
    that motivates its maker to carve[u] it?
It is only a cast image—
    a teacher that lies—
because the engraver entrusts himself to his carving,
    crafting speechless idols.
19 “Woe to the one who says to a tree, ‘Wake up!’
    or ‘Arise!’ to a speechless stone.
Idols[v] like this can’t teach, can they?
    Look, even though it is overlaid with gold and silver,
        there’s no breath in it at all.”

The Lord’s Final Counsel to Habakkuk

20 “The Lord is in his holy Temple.
    All the earth—be quiet in his presence.”

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Footnotes

  1. Habakkuk 2:5 I.e. Babylonian invaders personified in their king
  2. Habakkuk 2:5 I.e. Babylonian invaders personified in their king
  3. Habakkuk 2:5 Lit. Sheol; i.e. the realm of the dead
  4. Habakkuk 2:5 I.e. Babylonian invaders personified in their king
  5. Habakkuk 2:5 I.e. Babylonian invaders personified in their king
  6. Habakkuk 2:6 Lit. by loans
  7. Habakkuk 2:8 The Heb. lacks has been shed
  8. Habakkuk 2:8 Lit. violence of
  9. Habakkuk 2:9 Lit. establish his nest
  10. Habakkuk 2:10 Lit. to your house
  11. Habakkuk 2:13 Lit. tired for the sufficiency of fire
  12. Habakkuk 2:14 Lit. covers
  13. Habakkuk 2:15 Lit. wine skin
  14. Habakkuk 2:15 The Heb. lacks on him
  15. Habakkuk 2:16 The Heb. lacks go ahead
  16. Habakkuk 2:16 Lit. The power of the Lord’s right hand
  17. Habakkuk 2:16 Lit. will come upon your glory
  18. Habakkuk 2:17 The Heb. lacks you
  19. Habakkuk 2:17 Lit. violence of
  20. Habakkuk 2:18 The Heb. lacks owning
  21. Habakkuk 2:18 Lit. because its maker carved
  22. Habakkuk 2:19 Lit. Things