¹The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw.

The prophet complains

²LORD , how long will I call for help and you not listen?

³Why do you show me injustice and look at anguish

There is strife, and conflict abounds.

The LORD responds

⁵Look among the nations and watch!

⁶I am about to rouse the Chaldeans,

⁷The Chaldean is dreadful and fearful.

⁸His horses are faster than leopards;

His horsemen charge forward;

⁹They come for violence,

He takes captives like sand.

¹⁰He makes fun of kings;

rulers are ridiculous to him.

¹¹He passes through like the wind and invades;

The prophet questions the LORD

¹²LORD , aren’t you ancient, my God, my holy one?

Don’t let us die.

LORD , you put the Chaldean here for judgment.

¹³Your eyes are too pure to look on evil;

Why would you look at the treacherous

¹⁴You made humans like the fish of the sea,

¹⁵The Chaldean brings all of them up with a fishhook.

¹⁶Therefore, he sacrifices to his net;

¹⁷Should he continue to empty his net