Habakkuk 1

Habakkuk complains to **YHWH** about violence and injustice in Judah, questioning why He does not intervene (Hab 1:2-4). **YHWH** responds by raising up the Kasdim (Chaldeans/Babylonians) as an instrument of judgment, though Habakkuk protests their greater wickedness (Hab 1:5-17).

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Interlinear Text

Verse 3
why for what? why do you make me see you cause me to see do you cause me to see iniquity worthless wickedness worthless wickedness and trouble and burdensome toil and hardship do you look may you fix your gaze do you gaze and destruction and devastation-of and devastation and violence violent wrongdoing and violence before me before me before me and there is and he became and it happened strife dispute dispute and contention and contention and contention arises he will lift arises
לָ֣/מָּה 𐤋/𐤌𐤄 lamah why for what? why HR/Ti תַרְאֵ֤/נִי 𐤕𐤓𐤀/𐤍𐤉 tareeni do you make me see you cause me to see do you cause me to see HVhi2ms/Sp1cs אָ֨וֶן֙ 𐤀𐤅𐤍 aven iniquity worthless wickedness worthless wickedness HNcmsa וְ/עָמָ֣ל 𐤅/𐤏𐤌𐤋 veamal and trouble and burdensome toil and hardship HC/Ncbsa תַּבִּ֔יט 𐤕𐤁𐤉𐤈 tabit do you look may you fix your gaze do you gaze HVhi2ms וְ/שֹׁ֥ד 𐤅/𐤔𐤃 veshod and destruction and devastation-of and devastation HC/Ncmsa וְ/חָמָ֖ס 𐤅/𐤇𐤌𐤎 vechamas and violence violent wrongdoing and violence HC/Ncmsa לְ/נֶגְדִּ֑/י 𐤋/𐤍𐤂𐤃/𐤉 lenegedi before me before me before me HR/R/Sp1cs וַ/יְהִ֧י 𐤅/𐤉𐤄𐤉 vayehi and there is and he became and it happened HC/Vqw3ms רִ֦יב 𐤓𐤉𐤁 riv strife dispute dispute HNcbsa וּ/מָד֖וֹן 𐤅/𐤌𐤃𐤅𐤍 umadon and contention and contention and contention HC/Ncmsa יִשָּֽׂא 𐤉𐤔𐤀 yisa arises he will lift arises HVqi3ms
Verse 4
therefore upon therefore so thus thus is paralyzed she grows slack she grows slack the law instruction instruction and not and not and not goes forth he goes out he goes out ever to perpetuity to forever justice judgment judgment for for/because for the wicked wicked man wicked man surrounds one who encircles one who encircles (direct object marker) object-marker [·] the righteous the just one the righteous one therefore upon upon so thus thus goes forth he goes out he goes out justice judgment judgment perverted twisted one twisted one
עַל 𐤏𐤋 al therefore upon therefore HR כֵּן֙ 𐤊𐤍 ken cine (Bemba) so thus thus HTm תָּפ֣וּג 𐤕𐤐𐤅𐤂 tafug is paralyzed she grows slack she grows slack HVqi3fs תּוֹרָ֔ה 𐤕𐤅𐤓𐤄 torah the law instruction instruction HNcfsa וְ/לֹֽא 𐤅/𐤋𐤀 velo and not and not and not HC/Tn יֵצֵ֥א 𐤉𐤑𐤀 yetse goes forth he goes out he goes out HVqi3ms לָ/נֶ֖צַח 𐤋/𐤍𐤑𐤇 lanetsach ever to perpetuity to forever HR/Ncmsa מִשְׁפָּ֑ט 𐤌𐤔𐤐𐤈 mishepat justice judgment judgment HNcmsa כִּ֤י 𐤊𐤉 ki for for/because for HC רָשָׁע֙ 𐤓𐤔𐤏 rasha the wicked wicked man wicked man HAamsa מַכְתִּ֣יר 𐤌𐤊𐤕𐤉𐤓 makhetir surrounds one who encircles one who encircles HVhrmsa אֶת 𐤀𐤕 et (direct object marker) object-marker [·] HTo הַ/צַּדִּ֔יק 𐤄/𐤑𐤃𐤉𐤒 hatsadiq the righteous the just one the righteous one HTd/Aamsa עַל 𐤏𐤋 al-2 therefore upon upon HR כֵּ֛ן 𐤊𐤍 ken-2 cine (Bemba) so thus thus HTm יֵצֵ֥א 𐤉𐤑𐤀 yetse-2 goes forth he goes out he goes out HVqi3ms מִשְׁפָּ֖ט 𐤌𐤔𐤐𐤈 mishepat-2 justice judgment judgment HNcmsa מְעֻקָּֽל 𐤌𐤏𐤒𐤋 meuqal perverted twisted one twisted one HVPsmsa
Verse 5
Look See! See among the nations among the people-groups among the nations and pay attention and direct your gaze and cause you (pl) to look and be astounded be utterly astonished and be utterly astonished be amazed Be astounded! Be astounded for for/because for a work work-product work-product is working the accomplishing-one is being accomplished in your days in your days in your days not not not will you believe you will place firm trust you (pl.) will trust when for/because when it is told he will be recounted it is recounted
רְא֤וּ 𐤓𐤀𐤅 reu Look See! See HVqv2mp בַ/גּוֹיִם֙ 𐤁/𐤂𐤅𐤉𐤌 vagoyim among the nations among the people-groups among the nations HRd/Ncmpa וְֽ/הַבִּ֔יטוּ 𐤅/𐤄𐤁𐤉𐤈𐤅 vehabitu and pay attention and direct your gaze and cause you (pl) to look HC/Vhv2mp וְ/הִֽתַּמְּה֖וּ 𐤅/𐤄𐤕𐤌𐤄𐤅 vehitamehu and be astounded be utterly astonished and be utterly astonished HC/Vtv2mp תְּמָ֑הוּ 𐤕𐤌𐤄𐤅 temahu be amazed Be astounded! Be astounded HVqv2mp כִּי 𐤊𐤉 ki for for/because for HC פֹ֨עַל֙ 𐤐𐤏𐤋 foal a work work-product work-product HNcmsa פֹּעֵ֣ל 𐤐𐤏𐤋 poel is working the accomplishing-one is being accomplished HVqrmsa בִּֽ/ימֵי/כֶ֔ם 𐤁/𐤉𐤌𐤉/𐤊𐤌 bimeykhem in your days in your days in your days HR/Ncmpc/Sp2mp לֹ֥א 𐤋𐤀 lo not not not HTn תַאֲמִ֖ינוּ 𐤕𐤀𐤌𐤉𐤍𐤅 taaminu will you believe you will place firm trust you (pl.) will trust HVhi2mp כִּ֥י 𐤊𐤉 ki-2 when for/because when HC יְסֻפָּֽר 𐤉𐤎𐤐𐤓 yesupar it is told he will be recounted it is recounted HVPi3ms
Verse 6
For for/because for behold I look—here I am look here I am am raising up one who raises up one who raises up [direct object marker] object-marker [·] the Chaldeans the Kasdim the Kasedi the nation the people-group the people-group the bitter the bitter one the bitter one and the hasty and the hasty one and the hasty one who marches the one who walks the one who walks through the breadths to spacious expanses of to spacious expanses of of earth land land to seize to take possession to take possession dwelling places dwelling-places dwelling-places not not not theirs — theirs
כִּֽי 𐤊𐤉 ki For for/because for HC הִנְ/נִ֤י 𐤄𐤍/𐤍𐤉 hineni behold I look—here I am look here I am HTm/Sp1cs מֵקִים֙ 𐤌𐤒𐤉𐤌 meqim uku-ima (Bemba) am raising up one who raises up one who raises up HVhrmsa אֶת 𐤀𐤕 et [direct object marker] object-marker [·] HTo הַ/כַּשְׂדִּ֔ים 𐤄/𐤊𐤔𐤃𐤉𐤌 hakasedim the Chaldeans the Kasdim the Kasedi HTd/Np הַ/גּ֖וֹי 𐤄/𐤂𐤅𐤉 hagoy the nation the people-group the people-group HTd/Ncmsa הַ/מַּ֣ר 𐤄/𐤌𐤓 hamar the bitter the bitter one the bitter one HTd/Aamsa וְ/הַ/נִּמְהָ֑ר 𐤅/𐤄/𐤍𐤌𐤄𐤓 vehanimehar and the hasty and the hasty one and the hasty one HC/Td/VNrmsa הַֽ/הוֹלֵךְ֙ 𐤄/𐤄𐤅𐤋𐤊 haholekhe who marches the one who walks the one who walks HTd/Vqrmsa לְ/מֶרְחֲבֵי 𐤋/𐤌𐤓𐤇𐤁𐤉 lemerechavey through the breadths to spacious expanses of to spacious expanses of HR/Ncmpc אֶ֔רֶץ 𐤀𐤓𐤑 erets Ayé (Yoruba) of earth land land HNcbsa לָ/רֶ֖שֶׁת 𐤋/𐤓𐤔𐤕 lareshet to seize to take possession to take possession HR/Vqc מִשְׁכָּנ֥וֹת 𐤌𐤔𐤊𐤍𐤅𐤕 mishekanot dwelling places dwelling-places dwelling-places HNcmpa לֹּא 𐤋𐤀 lo not not not HTn לֽ/וֹ 𐤋/𐤅 lo-2 theirs theirs HR/Sp3ms
Verse 8
are swifter they were light they are swifter than leopards spotted wild felines than leopards their horses his horses his horses and fiercer and they were sharp and they are fiercer than wolves from wolves of than wolves of of evening twilight mingling evening twilight and they charge and they spread abroad and they charge his horsemen his cavalrymen his horsemen and his horsemen and his war-horsemen and his horsemen from afar from a distant place from a distant place they come they come they come they fly they will fly they fly like an eagle like a great raptor like an eagle swooping he hurried swooping to devour to eat to eat
וְ/קַלּ֨וּ 𐤅/𐤒𐤋𐤅 veqalu are swifter they were light they are swifter HC/Vqp3cp מִ/נְּמֵרִ֜ים 𐤌/𐤍𐤌𐤓𐤉𐤌 minemerim than leopards spotted wild felines than leopards HR/Ncmpa סוּסָ֗י/ו 𐤎𐤅𐤎𐤉/𐤅 susayv their horses his horses his horses HNcmpc/Sp3ms וְ/חַדּוּ֙ 𐤅/𐤇𐤃𐤅 vechadu and fiercer and they were sharp and they are fiercer HC/Vqp3cp מִ/זְּאֵ֣בֵי 𐤌/𐤆𐤀𐤁𐤉 mizeevey than wolves from wolves of than wolves of HR/Ncmpc עֶ֔רֶב 𐤏𐤓𐤁 erev of evening twilight mingling evening twilight HNcmsa וּ/פָ֖שׁוּ 𐤅/𐤐𐤔𐤅 ufashu and they charge and they spread abroad and they charge HC/Vqp3cp פָּֽרָשָׁ֑י/ו 𐤐𐤓𐤔𐤉/𐤅 parashayv his horsemen his cavalrymen his horsemen HNcmpc/Sp3ms וּ/פָֽרָשָׁי/ו֙ 𐤅/𐤐𐤓𐤔𐤉/𐤅 ufarashayv and his horsemen and his war-horsemen and his horsemen HC/Ncmpc/Sp3ms מֵ/רָח֣וֹק 𐤌/𐤓𐤇𐤅𐤒 merachoq from afar from a distant place from a distant place HR/Aamsa יָבֹ֔אוּ 𐤉𐤁𐤀𐤅 yavou they come they come they come HVqi3mp יָעֻ֕פוּ 𐤉𐤏𐤐𐤅 yaufu they fly they will fly they fly HVqi3mp כְּ/נֶ֖שֶׁר 𐤊/𐤍𐤔𐤓 kenesher like an eagle like a great raptor like an eagle HR/Ncmsa חָ֥שׁ 𐤇𐤔 chash swooping he hurried swooping HVqrmsa לֶ/אֱכֽוֹל 𐤋/𐤀𐤊𐤅𐤋 leekhol okèlè (Yoruba) to devour to eat to eat HR/Vqc
Verse 10
and he and he and he at the kings among the kings among the kings scoffs he will mock himself he will mock himself and princes and weighty ones and ruling ones a laughingstock object of mockery object of mockery to him — to him he he he at every to the whole of to all stronghold fortified place fortified place laughs he laughs he laughs and he heaps up and he heaped up and he heaped up dust dust dust and captures it and he captured her and he captured it
וְ/הוּא֙ 𐤅/𐤄𐤅𐤀 vehu and he and he and he HC/Pp3ms בַּ/מְּלָכִ֣ים 𐤁/𐤌𐤋𐤊𐤉𐤌 bamelakhim at the kings among the kings among the kings HRd/Ncmpa יִתְקַלָּ֔ס 𐤉𐤕𐤒𐤋𐤎 yiteqalas scoffs he will mock himself he will mock himself HVti3ms וְ/רֹזְנִ֖ים 𐤅/𐤓𐤆𐤍𐤉𐤌 verozenim and princes and weighty ones and ruling ones HC/Vqrmpa מִשְׂחָ֣ק 𐤌𐤔𐤇𐤒 misechaq a laughingstock object of mockery object of mockery HNcmsa ל֑/וֹ 𐤋/𐤅 lo to him to him HR/Sp3ms ה֚וּא 𐤄𐤅𐤀 hu he he he HPp3ms לְ/כָל 𐤋/𐤊𐤋 lekhal at every to the whole of to all HR/Ncmsc מִבְצָ֣ר 𐤌𐤁𐤑𐤓 mivetsar stronghold fortified place fortified place HNcmsa יִשְׂחָ֔ק 𐤉𐤔𐤇𐤒 yisechaq Seka (Bemba) laughs he laughs he laughs HVqi3ms וַ/יִּצְבֹּ֥ר 𐤅/𐤉𐤑𐤁𐤓 vayitsebor and he heaps up and he heaped up and he heaped up HC/Vqw3ms עָפָ֖ר 𐤏𐤐𐤓 afar dust dust dust HNcmsa וַֽ/יִּלְכְּדָֽ/הּ 𐤅/𐤉𐤋𐤊𐤃/𐤄 vayilekedah and captures it and he captured her and he captured it HC/Vqw3ms/Sp3fs
Verse 12
Are you not is it not? are you not you you you from everlasting from before from everlasting O LORD Yahweh Yahweh my God my mighty ones my Elohim my Holy One my set-apart one my Holy One not not not die we will die we will die O LORD Yahweh Yahweh for judgment for a legal ruling for judgment have appointed them you placed him you set him O Rock and rock-of and rock-of for correction to bring correction to reprove have established them you founded him you established him
הֲ/ל֧וֹא 𐤄/𐤋𐤅𐤀 halo Are you not is it not? are you not HTi/Tn אַתָּ֣ה 𐤀𐤕𐤄 atah you you you HPp2ms מִ/קֶּ֗דֶם 𐤌/𐤒𐤃𐤌 miqedem from everlasting from before from everlasting HR/Ncmsa יְהוָ֧ה 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 yehvah Nyambe (Lozi) O LORD Yahweh Yahweh HNp אֱלֹהַ֛/י 𐤀𐤋𐤄/𐤉 elohay Mulimu (Lozi) my God my mighty ones my Elohim HNcmpc/Sp1cs קְדֹשִׁ֖/י 𐤒𐤃𐤔/𐤉 qedoshi my Holy One my set-apart one my Holy One HAamsc/Sp1cs לֹ֣א 𐤋𐤀 lo not not not HTn נָמ֑וּת 𐤍𐤌𐤅𐤕 namut die we will die we will die HVqi1cp יְהוָה֙ 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 yehvah-2 Nyambe (Lozi) O LORD Yahweh Yahweh HNp לְ/מִשְׁפָּ֣ט 𐤋/𐤌𐤔𐤐𐤈 lemishepat for judgment for a legal ruling for judgment HR/Ncmsa שַׂמְתּ֔/וֹ 𐤔𐤌𐤕/𐤅 sameto have appointed them you placed him you set him HVqp2ms/Sp3ms וְ/צ֖וּר 𐤅/𐤑𐤅𐤓 vetsur O Rock and rock-of and rock-of HC/Ncmsa לְ/הוֹכִ֥יחַ 𐤋/𐤄𐤅𐤊𐤉𐤇 lehokhicha for correction to bring correction to reprove HR/Vhc יְסַדְתּֽ/וֹ 𐤉𐤎𐤃𐤕/𐤅 yesadeto have established them you founded him you established him HVqp2ms/Sp3ms
Verse 13
pure ritually pure pure eyes eyes eyes than to behold from seeing from seeing evil bad evil and cannot look and to cause to gaze and to gaze on toward toward iniquity burdensome toil burdensome hardship not not not you can you are able you are able why for what? for what? do you look may you fix your gaze may you look on traitors treacherous ones betraying ones are you silent you will silence you keep silent when devouring in utterly engulfing in swallowing the wicked wicked man wicked man righteous righteous man righteous man than he from us from him
טְה֤וֹר 𐤈𐤄𐤅𐤓 tehor pure ritually pure pure HAamsc עֵינַ֨יִם֙ 𐤏𐤉𐤍𐤉𐤌 eynayim Enyi (Fante) eyes eyes eyes HNcbda מֵ/רְא֣וֹת 𐤌/𐤓𐤀𐤅𐤕 mereot than to behold from seeing from seeing HR/Vqc רָ֔ע 𐤓𐤏 ra evil bad evil HAamsa וְ/הַבִּ֥יט 𐤅/𐤄𐤁𐤉𐤈 vehabit and cannot look and to cause to gaze and to gaze HC/Vhc אֶל 𐤀𐤋 el on toward toward HR עָמָ֖ל 𐤏𐤌𐤋 amal iniquity burdensome toil burdensome hardship HNcbsa לֹ֣א 𐤋𐤀 lo not not not HTn תוּכָ֑ל 𐤕𐤅𐤊𐤋 tukhal you can you are able you are able HVqi2ms לָ֤/מָּה 𐤋/𐤌𐤄 lamah why for what? for what? HR/Ti תַבִּיט֙ 𐤕𐤁𐤉𐤈 tabit do you look may you fix your gaze may you look HVhi2ms בּֽוֹגְדִ֔ים 𐤁𐤅𐤂𐤃𐤉𐤌 bogedim on traitors treacherous ones betraying ones HVqrmpa תַּחֲרִ֕ישׁ 𐤕𐤇𐤓𐤉𐤔 tacharish are you silent you will silence you keep silent HVhi2ms בְּ/בַלַּ֥ע 𐤁/𐤁𐤋𐤏 bevala when devouring in utterly engulfing in swallowing HR/Vpc רָשָׁ֖ע 𐤓𐤔𐤏 rasha the wicked wicked man wicked man HAamsa צַדִּ֥יק 𐤑𐤃𐤉𐤒 tsadiq righteous righteous man righteous man HAamsa מִמֶּֽ/נּוּ 𐤌𐤌/𐤍𐤅 mimenu than he from us from him HR/Sp3ms
Verse 15
all of them its entirety all of them with a hook fishhook with a hook he brings up He caused to ascend he brings up he drags it he drags him he drags it in his net in his ban-devoted thing in his net and he gathers it and he gathers him and he gathers it in his dragnet in his ensnaring-net in his dragnet over upon over thus thus thus he rejoices he will rejoice he will rejoice and is glad and he exults and is glad
כֻּלֹּ/ה֙ 𐤊𐤋/𐤄 kuloh all of them its entirety all of them HNcmsc/Sp3ms בְּ/חַכָּ֣ה 𐤁/𐤇𐤊𐤄 bechakah with a hook fishhook with a hook HR/Ncfsa הֵֽעֲלָ֔ה 𐤄𐤏𐤋𐤄 healah Aleya (Bemba) he brings up He caused to ascend he brings up HVhp3ms יְגֹרֵ֣/הוּ 𐤉𐤂𐤓/𐤄𐤅 yegorehu he drags it he drags him he drags it HVqi3ms/Sp3ms בְ/חֶרְמ֔/וֹ 𐤁/𐤇𐤓𐤌/𐤅 vecheremo in his net in his ban-devoted thing in his net HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms וְ/יַאַסְפֵ֖/הוּ 𐤅/𐤉𐤀𐤎𐤐/𐤄𐤅 veyaasefehu and he gathers it and he gathers him and he gathers it HC/Vqi3ms/Sp3ms בְּ/מִכְמַרְתּ֑/וֹ 𐤁/𐤌𐤊𐤌𐤓𐤕/𐤅 bemikhemareto in his dragnet in his ensnaring-net in his dragnet HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms עַל 𐤏𐤋 al over upon over HR כֵּ֖ן 𐤊𐤍 ken cine (Bemba) thus thus thus HTm יִשְׂמַ֥ח 𐤉𐤔𐤌𐤇 yisemach samka (Kirundi) he rejoices he will rejoice he will rejoice HVqi3ms וְ/יָגִֽיל 𐤅/𐤉𐤂𐤉𐤋 veyagil and is glad and he exults and is glad HC/Vqi3ms
Verse 16
therefore upon therefore so thus thus he sacrifices he will slaughter for sacrifice he will slaughter for sacrifice to his net to his banned-thing to his net of doom and burns incense and he makes aromatic smoke rise and he makes aromatic smoke rise to his dragnet to his gathering-net to his dragnet for for/because because by them they by them fat rich oil fat his portion his allotted portion his allotted portion and his food and his food and his food plenteous robust one plenteous
עַל 𐤏𐤋 al therefore upon therefore HR כֵּן֙ 𐤊𐤍 ken cine (Bemba) so thus thus HTm יְזַבֵּ֣חַ 𐤉𐤆𐤁𐤇 yezabecha he sacrifices he will slaughter for sacrifice he will slaughter for sacrifice HVpi3ms לְ/חֶרְמ֔/וֹ 𐤋/𐤇𐤓𐤌/𐤅 lecheremo to his net to his banned-thing to his net of doom HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms וִֽ/יקַטֵּ֖ר 𐤅/𐤉𐤒𐤈𐤓 viqater and burns incense and he makes aromatic smoke rise and he makes aromatic smoke rise HC/Vpi3ms לְ/מִכְמַרְתּ֑/וֹ 𐤋/𐤌𐤊𐤌𐤓𐤕/𐤅 lemikhemareto to his dragnet to his gathering-net to his dragnet HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms כִּ֤י 𐤊𐤉 ki for for/because because HC בָ/הֵ֨מָּה֙ 𐤁/𐤄𐤌𐤄 vahemah by them they by them HR/Pp3mp שָׁמֵ֣ן 𐤔𐤌𐤍 shamen fat rich oil fat HAamsa חֶלְק֔/וֹ 𐤇𐤋𐤒/𐤅 cheleqo his portion his allotted portion his allotted portion HNcmsc/Sp3ms וּ/מַאֲכָל֖/וֹ 𐤅/𐤌𐤀𐤊𐤋/𐤅 umaakhalo and his food and his food and his food HC/Ncmsc/Sp3ms בְּרִאָֽה 𐤁𐤓𐤀𐤄 beriah plenteous robust one plenteous HAafsa
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