Habakkuk 1:12-2:1

New International Version

Habakkuk’s Second Complaint

¹²Lord, are you not from everlasting?^(A)
    My God, my Holy One,^(B) you^[a] will never die.^(C)
You, Lord, have appointed^(D) them to execute judgment;
    you, my Rock,^(E) have ordained them to punish.
¹³Your eyes are too pure^(F) to look on evil;
    you cannot tolerate wrongdoing.^(G)
Why then do you tolerate^(H) the treacherous?^(I)
    Why are you silent while the wicked
    swallow up those more righteous than themselves?^(J)
¹⁴You have made people like the fish in the sea,
    like the sea creatures that have no ruler.
¹⁵The wicked^(K) foe pulls all of them up with hooks,^(L)
    he catches them in his net,^(M)
he gathers them up in his dragnet;
    and so he rejoices and is glad.
¹⁶Therefore he sacrifices to his net
    and burns incense^(N) to his dragnet,
for by his net he lives in luxury
    and enjoys the choicest food.
¹⁷Is he to keep on emptying his net,
    destroying nations without mercy?^(O)

2 I will stand at my watch^(P)
and station myself on the ramparts;^(Q)
I will look to see what he will say^(R) to me,
and what answer I am to give to this complaint.^[b]^(S)