Geneva1599 - Habakkuk - 1

1:1  The burden, which Habakkuk the Prophet did see.

1:2  O Lord, howe long shall I crye, and thou wilt not heare! euen crye out vnto thee for violence, and thou wilt not helpe!

1:3  Why doest thou shewe mee iniquitie, and cause me to beholde sorowe? for spoyling, and violence are before me: and there are that rayse vp strife and contention.

1:4  Therefore the Lawe is dissolued, and iudgement doeth neuer go forth: for the wicked doeth compasse about the righteous: therefore wrong iudgement proceedeth.

1:5  Beholde among the heathen, and regarde, and wonder, and maruaile: for I will worke a worke in your dayes: yee will not beleeue it, though it be tolde you.

1:6  For lo, I raise vp the Caldeans, that bitter and furious nation, which shall goe vpon the breadth of the lande to possesse the dwelling places, that are not theirs.

1:7  They are terrible and fearefull: their iudgement and their dignitie shall proceede of theselues.

1:8  Their horses also are swifter then the leopards, and are more fierce then the wolues in the euening: and their horsemen are many: and their horsemen shall come from farre: they shall flie as the eagle hasting to meate.

1:9  They come all to spoyle: before their faces shalbe an Eastwinde, and they shall gather the captiuitie, as the sand.

1:10  And they shall mocke the Kings, and the princes shalbe a skorne vnto them: they shall deride euery strong holde: for they shall gather dust, and take it.

1:11  Then shall they take a courage, and transgresse and doe wickedly, imputing this their power vnto their god.

1:12  Art thou not of olde, O Lord my God, mine holy one? we shall not die: O Lord, thou hast ordeined them for iudgement, and O God, thou hast established them for correction.

1:13  Thou art of pure eyes, and canst not see euill: thou canst not behold wickednesse: wherefore doest thou looke vpon the transgressors, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked deuoureth the man, that is more righteous then he?

1:14  And makest men as the fishes of the sea, and as the creeping things, that haue no ruler ouer them.

1:15  They take vp all with the angle: they catch it in their net, and gather it in their yarne, whereof they reioyce and are glad.

1:16  Therefore they sacrifice vnto their net, and burne incense vnto their yarne, because by them their portion is fat and their meat plenteous.

1:17  Shall they therefore stretch out their net and not spare continually to slay the nations?