Habakkuk

Chapter 1

 1 ¶ The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.

 2 O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!

 3 Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention.

 4 Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth. {wrong: or, wrested}

 5 ¶ Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.

 6 For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs. {breadth: Heb. breadths}

 7 They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves. {their judgment...: or, from them shall proceed the judgment of these, and the captivity of these}

 8 Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat. {fierce: Heb. sharp}

 9 They shall come all for violence: their faces shall sup up as the east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the sand. {their...: or, the supping up of their faces, etc: or, their faces shall look (Heb. the opposition of their faces) toward the east}

 10 And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a scorn unto them: they shall deride every strong hold; for they shall heap dust, and take it.

 11 Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend, imputing this his power unto his god.

 12 ¶ Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction. {mighty...: Heb. rock} {established: Heb. founded}

 13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he? {iniquity: or, grievance}

 14 And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them? {creeping: or, moving}

 15 They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: therefore they rejoice and are glad. {drag: or, flue net}

 16 Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous. {plenteous: or, dainty: Heb. fat}

 17 Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations?

(KJV)