The burdenהַמַּשָׂאthatאֲשֶׁרHabakkukחֲבַקּוּקthe prophetהַנָּבִיאsaw.חָזָה
How long,עַד אָנָהYHWH,יְהוָהwill I cry for helpשִׁוַּעְתִּיand you will notוְלֹאlisten?תִשְׁמָעI cry outאֶזְעַקto you,אֵלֶיךָ“Violence,”חָמָסand you do notוְלֹאsave.תוֹשִׁיעַ
Whyלָמָּהdo you make me seeתַרְאֵנִיwickedness,אָוֶןand you lookוְ תַּבִּיטon trouble?עָמָלDevastationוְשֹׁדand violenceוְחָמָסare before me;לְנֶגְדִּיand there isוַיְהִיdispute,רִיבand strifeוּמָדוֹןrises up.יִשָּׂא
Thereforeעַל כֵּןinstructionתּוֹרָהgrows numb,תָּפוּגand justiceוְ מִשְׁפָּטneverלֹא לָנֶצַחgoes forth;יֵצֵאforכִּיthe wickedרָשָׁעsurroundsמַכְתִּירthe righteous;הַצַּדִּיקthereforeעַל כֵּןjusticeמִשְׁפָּטgoes forthיֵצֵאtwisted.מְעֻקָּל
“Lookרְאוּamong the nations,בַגּוֹיִםand observe,וְהַבִּיטוּand be astonished,וְהִתַּמְּהוּbe astonished;תְּמָהוּforכִּיa workפֹעַלI am workingפֹּעֵלin your daysבִּימֵיכֶםthat you would notלֹאbelieveתַאֲמִינוּifכִּיit were told.יְסֻפָּר
Forכִּיlook, Iהִנְנִיam raising upמֵקִיםthe Chaldeans,הַכַּשְׂדִּיםthat bitterהַ הַמַּרand hastyוְהַנִּמְהָרnation,גּוֹיwhich marchesהַהוֹלֵךְthrough the breadthלְמֶרְחֲבֵיof the earthאֶרֶץto possessלָרֶשֶׁתdwellingsמִשְׁכָּנוֹתnotלֹּאits own.לוֹ
Terribleאָיֹםand fearsomeוְנוֹרָאis it;הוּאfrom itselfמִמֶּנּוּits justiceמִשְׁפָּטוֹand its loftinessוּשְׂאֵתוֹgo forth.יֵצֵא
And swifterוְקַלּוּthan leopardsמִנְּמֵרִיםare its horses,סוּסָיוand fiercerוְחַדּוּthan wolvesמִזְּאֵבֵיof the evening;עֶרֶבand its horsemenוּ פָּרָשָׁיוgallop,פָשׁוּand its horsemenוּפָרָשָׁיוcomeיָבֹאוּfrom afar;מֵרָחוֹקthey flyיָעֻפוּlike an eagleכְּנֶשֶׁרhasteningחָשׁto devour.לֶאֱכוֹל
All of itכֻּלֹּהcomesיָבוֹאfor violence;לְחָמָסthe eagernessמְגַמַּתof their facesפְּנֵיהֶםis forward,קָדִימָהand it gathersוַיֶּאֱסֹףcaptivesשֶׁבִיlike the sand.כַּחוֹל
And itוְהוּאscoffsיִתְקַלָּסat kings,בַּמְּלָכִיםand dignitariesוְרֹזְנִיםare a laughingstockמִשְׂחָקto it;לוֹitהוּאlaughsיִשְׂחָקat everyלְכָלfortress,מִבְצָרand heaps upוַיִּצְבֹּרdirtעָפָרand captures it.וַיִּלְכְּדָהּ
Thenאָזhe sweeps byחָלַףlike the windרוּחַand passes on,וַיַּעֲבֹרand he becomes guilty,וְאָשֵׁםthis oneזוּwhose strengthכֹחוֹis his god.”לֵאלֹהוֹ
Are you notהֲלוֹא אַתָּהfrom of old,מִקֶּדֶםYHWH,יְהוָהmy Elohim,אֱלֹהַיmy Holy One?קְדֹשִׁיWe will notלֹאdie.נָמוּתYHWH,יְהוָהfor judgmentלְמִשְׁפָּטyou have appointed him,שַׂמְתּוֹand, Rock,וְצוּרfor reprovingלְהוֹכִיחַyou have established him.יְסַדְתּוֹ
You are too pureטְהוֹרof eyesעֵינַיִםto seeמֵרְאוֹתevil,רָעand to lookוְהַבִּיטonאֶלtroubleעָמָלyou are notלֹאable.תוּכָלWhyלָמָּהdo you look onתַבִּיטtraitors,בּוֹגְדִיםand keep silentתַּחֲרִישׁwhen the wickedבְּ רָשָׁעswallowsבַלַּעone more righteousצַדִּיקthan he?מִמֶּנּוּ
And you makeוַתַּעֲשֶׂהhuman beingsאָדָםlike the fishכִּדְגֵיof the sea,הַיָּםlike creeping thingsכְּרֶמֶשׂthat have noלֹאrulerמֹשֵׁלover them.בּוֹ
All of themכֻּלֹּהhe brings upהֵעֲלָהwith a hook;בְּחַכָּהhe drags themיְגֹרֵהוּin his netבְחֶרְמוֹand gathers themוְיַאַסְפֵהוּin his dragnet;בְּמִכְמַרְתּוֹthereforeעַל כֵּןhe rejoicesיִשְׂמַחand exults.וְיָגִיל
Thereforeעַל כֵּןhe sacrificesיְזַבֵּחַto his netלְחֶרְמוֹand offers up in smokeוִיקַטֵּרto his dragnet,לְמִכְמַרְתּוֹforכִּיby themבָהֵמָּהhis portionחֶלְקוֹis richשָׁמֵןand his foodוּמַאֲכָלוֹfat.בְּרִאָה
Will heהַthereforeעַל כֵּןemptyיָרִיקhis net,חֶרְמוֹand continuallyוְתָמִידslayלַהֲרֹגnationsגּוֹיִםwithoutלֹאsparing?יַחְמוֹל