- 1
- The burden, which Habakkuk the Prophet did 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 shewe mee iniquitie, and cause me to beholde sorowe?
for spoyling, and violence are before me: and there are that rayse vp strife and contention.
- 4
- Therefore the Lawe is dissolued, and iudgement doeth neuer go forth: for the wicked doeth compasse about the righteous: therefore wrong iudgement proceedeth.
- 5
- Beholde among the heathen, and regarde, and wonder, and maruaile: for I will worke a worke in your dayes: yee will not beleeue it, though it be tolde you.
- 6
- For lo, I raise vp the Caldeans, that bitter & furious nation, which shall goe vpon the breadth of the lande to possesse the dwelling places, that are not theirs.
- 7
- They are terrible & fearefull: their iudgement & their dignitie shal proceede of theselues.
- 8
- Their horses also are swifter then the leopards, and are more fierce then the wolues in the euening: and their horsemen are many: & their horsemen shall come from farre: they shall flie as the eagle hasting to meate.
- 9
- They come all to spoyle: before their faces shalbe an Eastwinde, and they shall gather the captiuitie, as the sand.
- 10
- And they shall mocke the Kings, and the princes shalbe a skorne vnto them: they shall deride euery strong holde: for they shall gather dust, and take it.
- 11
- Then shall they take a courage, & transgresse & doe wickedly, imputing this their power vnto their god.
- 12
- Art thou not of olde, O Lorde my God, mine holy one?
we shall not die: 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 euill: thou canst not behold wickednesse: wherefore doest thou looke vpon the transgressors, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked deuoureth the man, that is more righteous then he?
- 14
- And makest men as the fishes of the sea, and as the creeping things, that haue no ruler ouer them.
- 15
- They take vp all with the angle: they catch it in their net, and gather it in their yarne, whereof they reioyce and are glad.
- 16
- Therefore they sacrifice vnto their net, and burne incense vnto their yarne, because by them their portion is fat & their meat plenteous.
- 17
- Shall they therefore stretch out their net and not spare continually to slay the nations?
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