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Wealth[a] is treacherous,
    and the arrogant are never at rest.
They open their mouths as wide as the grave,[b]
    and like death, they are never satisfied.
In their greed they have gathered up many nations
    and swallowed many peoples.

“But soon their captives will taunt them.
    They will mock them, saying,
‘What sorrow awaits you thieves!
    Now you will get what you deserve!
You’ve become rich by extortion,
    but how much longer can this go on?’
Suddenly, your debtors will take action.
    They will turn on you and take all you have,
    while you stand trembling and helpless.
Because you have plundered many nations,
    now all the survivors will plunder you.
You committed murder throughout the countryside
    and filled the towns with violence.

“What sorrow awaits you who build big houses
    with money gained dishonestly!
You believe your wealth will buy security,
    putting your family’s nest beyond the reach of danger.
10 But by the murders you committed,
    you have shamed your name and forfeited your lives.
11 The very stones in the walls cry out against you,
    and the beams in the ceilings echo the complaint.

12 “What sorrow awaits you who build cities
    with money gained through murder and corruption!
13 Has not the Lord of Heaven’s Armies promised
    that the wealth of nations will turn to ashes?
They work so hard,
    but all in vain!
14 For as the waters fill the sea,
    the earth will be filled with an awareness
    of the glory of the Lord.

15 “What sorrow awaits you who make your neighbors drunk!
    You force your cup on them
    so you can gloat over their shameful nakedness.
16 But soon it will be your turn to be disgraced.
    Come, drink and be exposed![c]
Drink from the cup of the Lord’s judgment,
    and all your glory will be turned to shame.
17 You cut down the forests of Lebanon.
    Now you will be cut down.
You destroyed the wild animals,
    so now their terror will be yours.
You committed murder throughout the countryside
    and filled the towns with violence.

18 “What good is an idol carved by man,
    or a cast image that deceives you?
How foolish to trust in your own creation—
    a god that can’t even talk!
19 What sorrow awaits you who say to wooden idols,
    ‘Wake up and save us!’
To speechless stone images you say,
    ‘Rise up and teach us!’
    Can an idol tell you what to do?
They may be overlaid with gold and silver,
    but they are lifeless inside.
20 But the Lord is in his holy Temple.
    Let all the earth be silent before him.”

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Footnotes

  1. 2:5a As in Dead Sea Scroll 1QpHab; other Hebrew manuscripts read Wine.
  2. 2:5b Hebrew as Sheol.
  3. 2:16 Dead Sea Scrolls and Greek and Syriac versions read and stagger!

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