“Will all of these not (A)take up a song of ridicule against him,
Even a saying and insinuations against him
And say, ‘(B)Woe to him who increases what is not his—
For how long—
And makes himself [a]rich with debts!’
Will [b]your creditors not (C)rise up suddenly,
And those who [c]collect from you awaken?
Indeed, you will become plunder for them.
Since you have (D)looted many nations,
All the rest of the peoples will loot you—
Because of human bloodshed and violence [d]done to the land,
To the town and all its inhabitants.

“Woe to him who makes (E)evil profit for his household,
To (F)put his nest on high,
To be saved from the hand of catastrophe!
10 You have planned a (G)shameful thing for your house
By bringing many peoples to an end;
So you are (H)sinning against yourself.
11 For the (I)stone will cry out from the wall,
And the rafter will answer it from the [e]framework.

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Footnotes

  1. Habakkuk 2:6 Lit heavy
  2. Habakkuk 2:7 Lit those who bite you
  3. Habakkuk 2:7 Lit violently shake you
  4. Habakkuk 2:8 Lit of the land
  5. Habakkuk 2:11 Lit wood

“Will not all of them taunt(A) him with ridicule and scorn, saying,

“‘Woe to him who piles up stolen goods
    and makes himself wealthy by extortion!(B)
    How long must this go on?’
Will not your creditors suddenly arise?
    Will they not wake up and make you tremble?
    Then you will become their prey.(C)
Because you have plundered many nations,
    the peoples who are left will plunder you.(D)
For you have shed human blood;(E)
    you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.(F)

“Woe to him who builds(G) his house by unjust gain,(H)
    setting his nest(I) on high
    to escape the clutches of ruin!
10 You have plotted the ruin(J) of many peoples,
    shaming(K) your own house and forfeiting your life.
11 The stones(L) of the wall will cry out,
    and the beams of the woodwork will echo it.

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Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay!

Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them?

Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee; because of men's blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein.

Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil!

10 Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul.

11 For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it.

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