- 1
- The burde which Habacuc the prophete dyd see.
- 2
- O Lorde, howe long shall I crye, and thou wilt not heare?
[euen] crye out vnto thee for violence, and thou wilt not helpe?
- 3
- Why doest thou shew me iniquitie, and cause me to beholde sorowe?
for spoyling and violence are before me, & there are that rayse vp stryfe and contention,
- 4
- Therfore the law is dissolued, & iudgement doth neuer go foorth: for the wicked doth compasse about the righteous, therfore wrong iudgement proceedeth.
- 5
- Behold among the heathen, and regarde, and wonder, and marueyll: for I will worke a worke in your dayes, ye will not beleue it though it be tolde you.
- 6
- For lo, I rayse vp the Chaldeans, that bitter and furious nation, whiche shall go vpon the breadth of the land, to possesse the dwelling places that are not theirs.
- 7
- They are terrible and fearfull: their iudgement and their dignitie shall procede of them selues.
- 8
- Their horses also are swifter then the leopardes, and are more fierce then the wolues in the euening, and their horsemen shall come from farre: they shall flee as the Egle hasting to meate.
- 9
- They come all to spoyle: before their faces shalbe an eastwinde, and they shall gather the captiuitie as the sande.
- 10
- And they shall mocke the kinges, and the princes shalbe a scorne vnto them: they shall deride euery stronghold, for they shall gather dust, and take it.
- 11
- Then shall they take a courage, and transgresse, and do wickedly, [imputing] this their power vnto their god.
- 12
- Art not thou of olde, O Lord my God, my holy one?
we shall not dye, O Lord thou hast ordeined them for iudgement, and O God thou hast established them for correction.
- 13
- Thou art of pure eyes, and canst not see euyl, thou canst not behold wickednesse: wherfore [then] doest thou loke vpo the transgressours, and holdest thy tongue, when the wicked deuoureth the man that is more righteous then he?
- 14
- And makest men as the fishe of the sea, and as the creeping thinges that haue no ruler ouer them.
- 15
- They take vp all with the angle, they catche it in their net, and gather it in their yarne: wherof they reioyce and are glad.
- 16
- Therfore they sacrifice vnto their net, and burne incense vnto their yarne: because by them their portion is fat, and their meate plenteous.
- 17
- Shall they therfore stretche out their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations?
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