1 The oracle which Chabaqawaq (Habakkuk) the nabayaa (prophet/prophecy) chazah (saw).
2 Yahawah (), how long will I shawai (cry), and you will not shamai (hearken / hear)? I zaiq (cry) out to you “chamas (violence)!” And will you not yashai (salvation)?
3 Why do you show me awan (iniquity), and nabat (look) at perversity? For shad (destruction) and chamas (violence) are before me. There is rayab (strife), and madawan (contention) nashaa (lift) up.
4 Therefore the thawarah (Torah / Instruction) is paralyzed, and mashapat (justice) never yatzaa (go out / come out) forth; for the rashai (wicked) surround the tzadayaq (righteous); therefore mashapat (justice) yatzaa (go out / come out) forth perverted.
5 “Raah (see / saw) among the gawayam (heathen), watch, and thamah (wonder) thamah (marvelously); for I am pail (working) a pail (work) in your yawam (day), which you will not aman (believe / have faith) though it is sapar (book) you.
6 For, behold, I qawam (rise up) up the Kashaday (Chaldeans), that mar (bitter) and mahar (hasty) gaway (heathen / nation), that halak (move) through the marachab (breadth) of the aratz (Earth/land), to yarash (possess) mashakan (dwelling) places that are not theirs.
7 They are feared and yaraa (fear / be afraid). Their mashapat (judgment) and their shaath (dignity) yatzaa (go out / come out) from themselves.
8 Their sawas (horses) also are qalal (swifter) than namarayam (leopards), and are more chadad (fierce) than the irab (evening) wolves. Their horsemen press proudly on. Yes, their horsemen bawaa (bring) from rachawaq (afar). They iwap (flying) as an nashar (eagle) that hurries to akal (eat).
9 All of them bawaa (bring) for chamas (violence). Their hordes panayam (face) the desert. He asap (gathers) shabay (prisoners) like chawal (sand).
10 Yes, he qalas (scoffs) at malakayam (kings), and razanayam (princes) are a derision to him. He shachaq (laughs) at every stronghold, for he builds up an earthen ramp, and lakad (takes) it.
11 Then he sweeps by like the rawach (spirit / wind), and ibar (pass over/through) on. He is indeed asham (guilty), whose kach (strength / mighty / power) is his Alawah ().”
12 Aren't you from qadam (everlasting), Yahawah () my Alahayam (), my qadawash (holy) One? We will not mawath (death). Yahawah (), you have shawam (place / establish / appoint) him for mashapat (judgment). You, tzawar (rock), have yasad (established) him to punish.
13 You who have purer iyanayam (eyes) than to raah (see / saw) rai (evil), and who cannot nabat (look) on perversity, why do you tolerate those who bagad (deal) treacherously, and charash (keep) silent when the rashai (wicked) balai (swallows) up the man who is more tzadayaq (righteous) than he,
14 And ishah (make) adam (men) like the dag (fish) of the yam (sea/waters), like the ramash (creeping) things, that mashal (rule/have dominion) no ruler over them?
15 He ilah (go up / offer) up all of them with the chakah (hook). He catches them in his charam (net), and asap (gathers) them in his dragnet. Therefore he shamach (rejoices) and is gayal (glad).
16 Therefore he zabach (sacrifices) to his charam (net), and qatar (burns) incense to his dragnet, because by them his chalaq (life) is luxurious, and his food is barayaa (good).
17 Will he therefore continually rawaq (empty) his charam (net), and harag (kill) the gawayam (heathen) without chamal (mercy)?