Habakkuk 1 חֲבַקּוּק פרק א׳

Masoretic Text, word by word with English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open Habakkuk 1 in the interlinear reader for transliteration, roots and notes.

1. 1

   הַמַּשָּׂאthe burdenאֲשֶׁרwhichחָזָהsawחֲבַקּוּקHabakkukהַנָּבִיא׃the prophet

   The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.

2. 2

   עַד־אָנָהuntil whitherיְהֹוָהthe LORDשִׁוַּעְתִּיI cried for helpוְלֹאand notתִשְׁמָעyou will listenאֶזְעַקI shall cryאֵלֶיךָto youחָמָסviolenceוְלֹאand notתוֹשִׁיעַ׃you will deliver

   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

   לָמָּהwhyתַרְאֵנִיdo you make see meאָוֶןiniquityוְעָמָלand grievanceתַּבִּיטyou lookוְשֹׁדand desolationוְחָמָסand violenceלְנֶגְדִּיto before meוַיְהִיand it came to passרִיבcontentionוּמָדוֹןand strifeיִשָּׂא׃he shall bear

   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־כֵּןthereforeתָּפוּגis slackedתּוֹרָהLawוְלֹא־יֵצֵאand not he go forthלָנֶצַחforeverמִשְׁפָּטjudgmentכִּיforרָשָׁעwickedמַכְתִּירdoth compass aboutאֶת־הַצַּדִּיקthe righteousעַל־כֵּןthereforeיֵצֵאhe go forthמִשְׁפָּטjudgmentמְעֻקָּל׃perverted

   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

   רְאוּbeholdבַגּוֹיִםamong the nationsוְהַבִּיטוּand regardוְהִתַּמְּהוּand be astoundedתְּמָהוּbe astonishedכִּי־פֹעַלbecause the work ofפֹּעֵלI will workבִּימֵיכֶםin your daysלֹאnotתַאֲמִינוּwill you believeכִּיforיְסֻפָּר׃it will be recounted

   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־הִנְנִיbecause behold Iמֵקִיםabout to establishאֶת־הַכַּשְׂדִּיםthe Chaldeansהַגּוֹיthe nationהַמַּרthe bitterוְהַנִּמְהָרand the impetuousהַהוֹלֵךְwhich goesלְמֶרְחֲבֵי־אֶרֶץto the expanses of land ofלָרֶשֶׁתto possessמִשְׁכָּנוֹתdwelling placeלֹּא־לוֹ׃not theirs

   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

   אָיֹםis terrifyingוְנוֹרָאand terribleהוּאheמִמֶּנּוּfrom himמִשְׁפָּטוֹtheir judgmentוּשְׂאֵתוֹand its dignityיֵצֵא׃he go forth

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

8. 8

   וְקַלּוּand they are swiftמִנְּמֵרִיםmore than leopardsסוּסָיוtheir horsesוְחַדּוּand they are keenמִזְּאֵבֵיmore than wolves ofעֶרֶבeveningוּפָשׁוּand shall spread themselvesפָּרָשָׁיוits horsemenוּפָרָשָׁיוand his horsemenמֵרָחוֹקfrom farיָבֹאוּcomeיָעֻפוּthey flyכְּנֶשֶׁרlike an eagleחָשׁhasteningלֶאֱכוֹל׃to 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

   כֻּלֹּהall of itלְחָמָסfor violenceיָבוֹאshall comeמְגַמַּתthe sup up ofפְּנֵיהֶםtheir facesקָדִימָהforwardוַיֶּאֱסֹףand he gatheredכַּחוֹלlike the sandשֶׁבִי׃the 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

    וְהוּאand heבַּמְּלָכִיםin the kingsיִתְקַלָּסit deridesוְרֹזְנִיםand rulersמִשְׂחָקare laughterלוֹto himהוּאheלְכׇל־מִבְצָרto all fortificationיִשְׂחָקhe laughsוַיִּצְבֹּרand he stored upעָפָרdustוַיִּלְכְּדָהּ׃and he captured 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

    אָזthenחָלַףit has passed awayרוּחַhis mindוַיַּעֲבֹרand he shall pass overוְאָשֵׁםand he will be guiltyזוּwhichכֹחוֹhis powerלֵאלֹהוֹ׃unto his god

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

12. 12

    הֲלוֹאis it notאַתָּהyouמִקֶּדֶםof oldיְהֹוָהthe LORDאֱלֹהַיmy Godקְדֹשִׁיmy holy oneלֹאnotנָמוּתwe dieיְהֹוָהthe LORDלְמִשְׁפָּטto judgmentשַׂמְתּוֹyou have appointed itוְצוּרand the rock ofלְהוֹכִיחַfor correctionיְסַדְתּוֹ׃you have established it

    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

    טְהוֹרyou are too pure ofעֵינַיִםby the eyes ofמֵרְאוֹתfrom seeingרָעevilוְהַבִּיטand to lookאֶל־עָמָלto grievousnessלֹאnotתוּכׇלyou are ableלָמָּהwhyתַבִּיטyou shall lookבּוֹגְדִיםbetrayersתַּחֲרִישׁyou hold your tongueבְּבַלַּעwhen swallows upרָשָׁעwickedצַדִּיקrighteousמִמֶּנּוּ׃from him

    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

    וַתַּעֲשֶׂהand you have madeאָדָםmanכִּדְגֵיlike the fish ofהַיָּםthe seaכְּרֶמֶשׂlike creeping thingsלֹא־מֹשֵׁלnot rulerבּוֹ׃in it

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

15. 15

    כֻּלֹּהall of itבְּחַכָּהwith a fish hookהֵעֲלָהhe brings upיְגֹרֵהוּhe drags away itבְחֶרְמוֹin his netוְיַאַסְפֵהוּand he gathers itבְּמִכְמַרְתּוֹin his fishing netעַל־כֵּןthereforeיִשְׂמַחrejoicesוְיָגִיל׃and he may be 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־כֵּןthereforeיְזַבֵּחַhe sacrificesלְחֶרְמוֹto his netוִיקַטֵּרso he may burnלְמִכְמַרְתּוֹto his fishing netכִּיbecauseבָהֵמָּהby themשָׁמֵןstout personחֶלְקוֹhis partוּמַאֲכָלוֹand his foodבְּרִאָה׃is fat

    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

    הַעַלshall they thereforeכֵּןthusיָרִיקwill he emptyחֶרְמוֹhis netוְתָמִידand continuallyלַהֲרֹגslayגּוֹיִםnationsלֹאnotיַחְמוֹל׃spare

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