Habakkuk 2

New International Version

2 I will stand at my watch^(A)
    and station myself on the ramparts;^(B)
I will look to see what he will say^(C) to me,
    and what answer I am to give to this complaint.^[a](D)

“Write^(E) down the revelation
    and make it plain on tablets
    so that a herald^[b] may run with it.
³ For the revelation awaits an appointed time;^(F)
    it speaks of the end^(G)
    and will not prove false.
Though it linger, wait^(H) for it;
    it^[c] will certainly come
    and will not delay.^(I)

⁴ “See, the enemy is puffed up;
    his desires are not upright—
    but the righteous person^(J) will live by his faithfulness^[d](K)—
⁵ indeed, wine^(L) betrays him;
    he is arrogant^(M) and never at rest.
Because he is as greedy as the grave
    and like death is never satisfied,^(N)
he gathers to himself all the nations
    and takes captive^(O) all the peoples.

“‘Woe to him who piles up stolen goods
    and makes himself wealthy by extortion!^(Q)
    How long must this go on?’
⁷ Will not your creditors suddenly arise?
    Will they not wake up and make you tremble?
    Then you will become their prey.^(R)
8 Because you have plundered many nations,
    the peoples who are left will plunder you.^(S)
For you have shed human blood;^(T)
    you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.^(U)

⁹ “Woe to him who builds^(V) his house by unjust gain,^(W)
    setting his nest^(X) on high
    to escape the clutches of ruin!
¹⁰ You have plotted the ruin^(Y) of many peoples,
    shaming^(Z) your own house and forfeiting your life.
¹¹ The stones^(AA) of the wall will cry out,
    and the beams of the woodwork will echo it.

¹² “Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed^(AB)
    and establishes a town by injustice!
¹³ Has not the Lord Almighty determined
    that the people’s labor is only fuel for the fire,^(AC)
    that the nations exhaust themselves for nothing?^(AD)
14 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory^(AE) of the Lord
    as the waters cover the sea.^(AF)

¹⁵ “Woe to him who gives drink^(AG) to his neighbors,
    pouring it from the wineskin till they are drunk,
    so that he can gaze on their naked bodies!
¹⁶ You will be filled with shame^(AH) instead of glory.^(AI)
    Now it is your turn! Drink^(AJ) and let your nakedness be exposed^[e]!^(AK)
The cup^(AL) from the Lord’s right hand is coming around to you,
    and disgrace will cover your glory.
¹⁷ The violence^(AM) you have done to Lebanon will overwhelm you,
    and your destruction of animals will terrify you.^(AN)
For you have shed human blood;^(AO)
    you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.

¹⁸ “Of what value^(AP) is an idol^(AQ) carved by a craftsman?
    Or an image^(AR) that teaches lies?
For the one who makes it trusts in his own creation;
    he makes idols that cannot speak.^(AS)
19 Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Come to life!’
    Or to lifeless stone, ‘Wake up!’^(AT)
Can it give guidance?
    It is covered with gold and silver;^(AU)
    there is no breath in it.”^(AV)

²⁰ The Lord is in his holy temple;^(AW)
    let all the earth be silent^(AX) before him.