Habakkuk 1 חֲבַקּוּק פרק א׳

Masoretic Text, word by word with transliteration and English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open Habakkuk 1 in the interlinear reader for roots and notes, or listen to it read aloud in Hebrew.

1. 1

   הַמַּשָּׂאham/mas/SAthe burdenאֲשֶׁרa/SHERwhichחָזָהcha/ZAsawחֲבַקּוּקCha/vak/KUKHabakkukהַנָּבִיא׃han/na/VIthe prophet

   The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.

2. 2

   עַד־אָנָהad-A/nahow longיְהֹוָהAdonaiO LORDשִׁוַּעְתִּיshiv/VA/tihave I criedוְלֹאve/LOand notתִשְׁמָעtish/MAwill You hearאֶזְעַקez/AKI cry outאֵלֶיךָe/LE/khato Youחָמָסcha/MASviolenceוְלֹאve/LOand notתוֹשִׁיעַ׃to/SHI/awill You save

   O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!

3. 3

   לָמָּהLAM/mawhyתַרְאֵנִיtar/E/nido You show meאָוֶןA/veniniquityוְעָמָלve/a/MALand grievanceתַּבִּיטtab/BITYou look onוְשֹׁדve/SHODand spoilingוְחָמָסve/cha/MASand violenceלְנֶגְדִּיle/neg/DIbefore meוַיְהִיvay/HIand there isרִיבrivstrifeוּמָדוֹןu/ma/DONand contentionיִשָּׂא׃yis/SArises up

   Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention.

4. 4

   עַל־כֵּןal-kenthereforeתָּפוּגta/FUGis slackתּוֹרָהto/RAthe lawוְלֹא־יֵצֵאve/LO-ye/TSEand does not go forthלָנֶצַחla/NE/tsacheverמִשְׁפָּטmish/PATjudgmentכִּיkiforרָשָׁעra/SHAthe wickedמַכְתִּירmakh/TIRsurroundsאֶת־הַצַּדִּיקet-hats/tsad/DIKthe righteousעַל־כֵּןal-kenthereforeיֵצֵאye/TSEgoes forthמִשְׁפָּטmish/PATjudgmentמְעֻקָּל׃me/uk/KALperverted

   Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.

5. 5

   רְאוּre/Ubeholdבַגּוֹיִםvag/go/YIMamong the nationsוְהַבִּיטוּve/hab/BI/tuand regardוְהִתַּמְּהוּve/hit/tam/me/HUand wonderתְּמָהוּte/MA/huwonderכִּי־פֹעַלki-FO/alfor a workפֹּעֵלpo/ELworkingבִּימֵיכֶםbi/me/KHEMin your daysלֹאlonotתַאֲמִינוּta/a/MI/nuyou would believeכִּיkithoughיְסֻפָּר׃ye/sup/PARit be told

   Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.

6. 6

   כִּי־הִנְנִיki-hin/NIfor behold Iמֵקִיםme/KIMraise upאֶת־הַכַּשְׂדִּיםet-Hak/kas/DIMthe Chaldeansהַגּוֹיhag/GOYthe nationהַמַּרham/MARthe bitterוְהַנִּמְהָרve/han/nim/HARand hastyהַהוֹלֵךְha/ho/LEKHthat marchesלְמֶרְחֲבֵי־אֶרֶץle/mer/cha/VE-E/retsthrough the breadth of the earthלָרֶשֶׁתla/RE/shetto possessמִשְׁכָּנוֹתmish/ka/NOTdwellingsלֹּא־לוֹ׃lo-lonot his

   For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs.

7. 7

   אָיֹםa/YOMterribleוְנוֹרָאve/no/RAand dreadfulהוּאhuheמִמֶּנּוּmim/MEN/nufrom himselfמִשְׁפָּטוֹmish/pa/TOhis judgmentוּשְׂאֵתוֹu/se/e/TOand his dignityיֵצֵא׃ye/TSEgoes forth

   They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves.

8. 8

   וְקַלּוּve/kal/LUand are swifterמִנְּמֵרִיםmin/ne/me/RIMthan leopardsסוּסָיוsu/SAYVhis horsesוְחַדּוּve/chad/DUand are fiercerמִזְּאֵבֵיmiz/ze/E/vethan the wolves ofעֶרֶבE/reveveningוּפָשׁוּu/FA/shuand shall spread themselvesפָּרָשָׁיוpa/ra/SHAYVhis horsemenוּפָרָשָׁיוu/fa/ra/SHAYVand his horsemenמֵרָחוֹקme/ra/CHOKfrom farיָבֹאוּya/VO/ucomeיָעֻפוּya/U/futhey flyכְּנֶשֶׁרke/NE/sherlike an eagleחָשׁchashhasteningלֶאֱכוֹל׃le/e/KHOLto eat

   Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat.

9. 9

   כֻּלֹּהkul/LOall of themלְחָמָסle/cha/MASfor violenceיָבוֹאya/VOshall comeמְגַמַּתme/gam/MATthe swallowing ofפְּנֵיהֶםpe/ne/HEMtheir facesקָדִימָהka/DI/maas the east windוַיֶּאֱסֹףvay/ye/e/SOFand they gatherכַּחוֹלka/CHOLlike the sandשֶׁבִי׃SHE/vithe captivity

   They shall come all for violence: their faces shall sup up as the east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the sand.

10. 10

    וְהוּאve/HUand heבַּמְּלָכִיםbam/me/la/KHIMat kingsיִתְקַלָּסyit/kal/LASscoffsוְרֹזְנִיםve/roz/NIMand princesמִשְׂחָקmis/CHAKa scornלוֹloto himהוּאhuheלְכׇל־מִבְצָרle/KHOL-miv/TSARat every strongholdיִשְׂחָקyis/CHAKlaughsוַיִּצְבֹּרvay/yits/BORand heaps upעָפָרa/FARdustוַיִּלְכְּדָהּ׃vay/yil/ke/DAand takes it

    And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a scorn unto them: they shall deride every strong hold; for they shall heap dust, and take it.

11. 11

    אָזazthenחָלַףcha/LAFpasses overרוּחַRU/acha spiritוַיַּעֲבֹרvay/ya/a/VORand he shall pass overוְאָשֵׁםve/a/SHEMand offendsזוּzuthisכֹחוֹkho/CHOhis powerלֵאלֹהוֹ׃le/lo/HOunto his god

    Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend, imputing this his power unto his god.

12. 12

    הֲלוֹאha/LOare notאַתָּהat/TAYouמִקֶּדֶםmik/KE/demfrom everlastingיְהֹוָהAdonaiO LORDאֱלֹהַיe/lo/HAYmy GodקְדֹשִׁיKe/do/SHImy Holy Oneלֹאlonotנָמוּתna/MUTwe shall dieיְהֹוָהAdonaiO LORDלְמִשְׁפָּטle/mish/PATfor judgmentשַׂמְתּוֹsam/TOYou have ordained himוְצוּרve/TSURand O Rockלְהוֹכִיחַle/ho/KHI/achfor correctionיְסַדְתּוֹ׃ye/sad/TOYou have established him

    Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction.

13. 13

    טְהוֹרte/HORpure ofעֵינַיִםe/NA/yimeyesמֵרְאוֹתmer/OTfrom seeingרָעraevilוְהַבִּיטve/hab/BITand to lookאֶל־עָמָלel-a/MALon grievanceלֹאlonotתוּכָלtu/KHALYou canלָמָּהLAM/mawhyתַבִּיטtab/BITdo You look onבּוֹגְדִיםbog/DIMthe treacherousתַּחֲרִישׁta/cha/RISHare You silentבְּבַלַּעbe/val/LAwhen swallows upרָשָׁעra/SHAthe wickedצַדִּיקtsad/DIKone more righteousמִמֶּנּוּ׃mim/MEN/nuthan he

    Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?

14. 14

    וַתַּעֲשֶׂהvat/ta/a/SEand You makeאָדָםa/DAMmenכִּדְגֵיkid/GElike the fish ofהַיָּםhay/YAMthe seaכְּרֶמֶשׂke/RE/meslike creeping thingsלֹא־מֹשֵׁלlo-mo/SHELno rulerבּוֹ׃boover them

    And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?

15. 15

    כֻּלֹּהkul/LOall of themבְּחַכָּהbe/chak/KAwith the hookהֵעֲלָהhe/a/LAhe brings upיְגֹרֵהוּye/go/RE/huhe drags themבְחֶרְמוֹve/cher/MOin his netוְיַאַסְפֵהוּve/ya/as/FE/huand gathers themבְּמִכְמַרְתּוֹbe/mikh/mar/TOin his dragnetעַל־כֵּןal-kenthereforeיִשְׂמַחyis/MACHhe rejoicesוְיָגִיל׃ve/ya/GILand is glad

    They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: therefore they rejoice and are glad.

16. 16

    עַל־כֵּןal-kenthereforeיְזַבֵּחַye/zab/BE/achhe sacrificesלְחֶרְמוֹle/cher/MOto his netוִיקַטֵּרvi/kat/TERand burns incenseלְמִכְמַרְתּוֹle/mikh/mar/TOto his dragnetכִּיkiforבָהֵמָּהva/HEM/maby themשָׁמֵןsha/MENfatחֶלְקוֹchel/KOhis portionוּמַאֲכָלוֹu/ma/a/kha/LOand his foodבְּרִאָה׃be/ri/Aplenteous

    Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous.

17. 17

    הַעַלHA/alshall forכֵּןkenthisיָרִיקya/RIKhe emptyחֶרְמוֹcher/MOhis netוְתָמִידve/ta/MIDand continuallyלַהֲרֹגla/ha/ROGto slayגּוֹיִםgo/YIMnationsלֹאlonotיַחְמוֹל׃yach/MOLspare

    Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations?