| New King James Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1The burden which the prophet Habakkuk saw. | 1This is the burden that Habakkuk the prophet received in a vision: |
| 2O LORD, how long shall I cry, And You will not hear? Even cry out to You, “Violence!” And You will not save. | 2How long, O LORD, must I call for help but You do not hear, or cry out to You, “Violence!” but You do not save? |
| 3Why do You show me iniquity, And cause me to see trouble? For plundering and violence are before me; There is strife, and contention arises. | 3Why do You make me see iniquity? Why do You tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me. Strife is ongoing, and conflict abounds. |
| 4Therefore the law is powerless, And justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore perverse judgment proceeds. | 4Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted. |
| 5“Look among the nations and watch— Be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days Which you would not believe, though it were told you. | 5“Look at the nations and observe—be utterly astounded! For I am doing a work in your days that you would never believe even if someone told you. |
| 6For indeed I am raising up the Chaldeans, A bitter and hasty nation Which marches through the breadth of the earth, To possess dwelling places that are not theirs. | 6For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans—that ruthless and impetuous nation which marches through the breadth of the earth to seize dwellings not their own. |
| 7They are terrible and dreadful; Their judgment and their dignity proceed from themselves. | 7They are dreaded and feared; from themselves they derive justice and sovereignty. |
| 8Their horses also are swifter than leopards, And more fierce than evening wolves. Their chargers charge ahead; Their cavalry comes from afar; They fly as the eagle that hastens to eat. | 8Their horses are swifter than leopards, fiercer than wolves of the night. Their horsemen charge ahead, and their cavalry comes from afar. They fly like a vulture, swooping down to devour. |
| 9“They all come for violence; Their faces are set like the east wind. They gather captives like sand. | 9All of them come bent on violence; their hordes advance like the east wind; they gather prisoners like sand. |
| 10They scoff at kings, And princes are scorned by them. They deride every stronghold, For they heap up earthen mounds and seize it. | 10They scoff at kings and make rulers an object of scorn. They laugh at every fortress and build up siege ramps to seize it. |
| 11Then his mind changes, and he transgresses; He commits offense, Ascribing this power to his god.” | 11Then they sweep by like the wind and pass on through. They are guilty; their own strength is their god.” |
| 12Are You not from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O LORD, You have appointed them for judgment; O Rock, You have marked them for correction. | 12Are You not from everlasting, O LORD, my God, my Holy One? We will not die. O LORD, You have appointed them to execute judgment; O Rock, You have established them for correction. |
| 13You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, And cannot look on wickedness. Why do You look on those who deal treacherously, And hold Your tongue when the wicked devours A person more righteous than he? | 13Your eyes are too pure to look upon evil, and You cannot tolerate wrongdoing. So why do You tolerate the faithless? Why are You silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves? |
| 14Why do You make men like fish of the sea, Like creeping things that have no ruler over them? | 14You have made men like the fish of the sea, like creeping things that have no ruler. |
| 15They take up all of them with a hook, They catch them in their net, And gather them in their dragnet. Therefore they rejoice and are glad. | 15The foe pulls all of them up with a hook; he catches them in his dragnet, and gathers them in his fishing net; so he rejoices gladly. |
| 16Therefore they sacrifice to their net, And burn incense to their dragnet; Because by them their share is sumptuous And their food plentiful. | 16Therefore he sacrifices to his dragnet and burns incense to his fishing net, for by these things his portion is sumptuous and his food is rich. |
| 17Shall they therefore empty their net, And continue to slay nations without pity? | 17Will he, therefore, empty his net and continue to slay nations without mercy? |
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