The prophet lamenteth the imminent ruin of the people, by the insolent cruelty of the Chaldees: 12. especially for that the holy city shall be ransacked by idolaters, and most wicked men.The prophet lamenteth the imminent ruine of the people, by the insolent crueltie of the Chaldees: 12. especially for that the holie citie shal be ransacked by idolaters, and most wicked men.✦
The onus: a prophetic pronouncement, not a load that Habacuc the prophet saw.THE a burden that Habacuc the prophete saw.✦Onus quod vidit Habacuc propheta.
2How long O Lord shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear? shall I cry out to thee suffering violence, and thou wilt not save?How long ô Lord shal I crie, and thou wilt not heare? shal I crie out to thee suffering violence, and thou wilt not saue?✦Usquequo, Domine, clamabo, et non exaudies ? vociferabor ad te, vim patiens, et non salvabis ?
3Why hast thou shewed me iniquity and labour, to see prey and injustice against me? and judgement is made, and contradiction more mighty.Why hast thou shewed me iniquitie and labour, to see praye and iniustice against me? and iudgement is made, & contradiction more mightie.✦Quare ostendisti mihi iniquitatem et laborem, videre prædam et injustitiam contra me ? Et factum est judicium, et contradictio potentior.
4For this cause is the law torn, and judgement came not to the end: because the impious prevaileth against the just, therefore doth there come forth perverse judgement.For this cause is the law torne, & iudgement came not to the end: because the impious preuaileth agaynst the iust, therfore doth there come forth peruerte iudgement.✦Propter hoc lacerata est lex, et non pervenit usque ad finem judicium ; quia impius prævalet adversus justum, propterea egreditur judicium perversum.
5Behold ye in the nations, and see: marvel, and be obstupescite: astonished, stunned: because a work is done in your days, which no man will believe when it shall be told.Behold ye in the nations, and see: meruel, and be astonied: because b a worke is done in your dayes, which no man wil beleue when it shal be told.✦Aspicite in gentibus, et videte ; admiramini, et obstupescite : quia opus factum est in diebus vestris, quod nemo credet cum narrabitur.
6Because lo I will raise up the Chaldees, a bitter and swift nation, walking upon the latitude of the earth, to possess tabernacula: dwellings, tents not their own.Because loe I c wil rayse vp the Chaldees, a bitter & swift nation, walking vpon the latitude of the earth, to possesse tabernacles not their owne.✦Quia ecce ego suscitabo Chaldæos, gentem amaram et velocem, ambulantem super latitudinem terræ, ut possideat tabernacula non sua.
7It is horrible, and terrible: out of itself shall the judgement, and the burden thereof proceed.It is horrible, and terrible: out of it self shal the iudgement, and the burden therof procede.✦Horribilis et terribilis est : ex semetipsa judicium et onus ejus egredietur.
8His horses lighter than leopards, and swifter than evening wolves; and his horsemen shall be spread abroad, for his horsemen shall come from afar, they shall fly as an eagle hastening to eat.His horses lighter then leopards, and swifter then euening wolues; and his horsemen shal be spred abrode, for his horsemen shal come from a far, they shal flie as an eagle hastening to eate.✦Leviores pardis equi ejus, et velociores lupis vespertinis : et diffundentur equites ejus : equites namque ejus de longe venient ; volabunt quasi aquila festinans ad comedendum.
9All shall come to the prey, their faces a burning wind: and he shall gather together as the sand, captivity.Al shal come to the praye, their faces a burning winde: & he shal gather together as the sand, captiuitie.✦Omnes ad prædam venient, facies eorum ventus urens ; et congregabit quasi arenam captivitatem.
10And he shall triumph over kings, and tyrants shall be his laughing ridiculi: a laughing-stock, an object of derision, and he shall laugh upon every munition, and shall cast up a mount, and shall take it.And he shal triumph ouer kinges, & tyrants shal be his laughing flocke, and he shal laugh vpon euerie munition, and shal cast vp a mount, and shal take it.✦Et ipse de regibus triumphabit, et tyranni ridiculi ejus erunt ; ipse super omnem munitionem ridebit, et comportabit aggerem, et capiet eam.
11Then shall the spirit be changed, and he shall pass, and fall: this is his strength of his God.d Then shal the spirit be changed, and he shal passe, & fal: this is his strength of his God.✦Tunc mutabitur spiritus, et pertransibit, et corruet : hæc est fortitudo ejus dei sui.
12Why wast thou not from the beginning O Lord my God, my holy one, and we shall not die? Lord thou hast appointed him for judgement: and strong to chastise, thou hast founded him.Why wast thou not from the beginning ô Lord my God, my holie one, & we shal not dye? Lord thou hast appoynted him for iudgement: and strong to chastise, thou hast founded him.✦Numquid non tu a principio, Domine, Deus meus, sancte meus, et non moriemur ? Domine, in judicium posuisti eum, et fortem, ut corriperes, fundasti eum.
13Thine eyes are clean, from seeing evil, and thou canst not look toward iniquity. Why lookest thou not upon them that do unjust things, and holdest thy peace when the impious devoureth him that is more just than himself?Thine eyes are cleane, from seing euil, & thou canst not looke toward iniquitie. Why lookest thou not vpon them that doe vniust thinges, & holdest thy peace when the impious deuoureth him that is more iust then him self?✦Mundi sunt oculi tui, ne videas malum, et respicere ad iniquitatem non poteris. Quare respicis super iniqua agentes, et taces devorante impio justiorem se ?
14And thou wilt make men as the fishes of the sea, and as the creeping beast not having a prince.And thou wilt make men as the fishes of the sea, & as the creeping beast not hauing a prince.✦Et facies homines quasi pisces maris, et quasi reptile non habens principem.
15He lifted up all in the hook, he drew it in his sagena: a dragging net, not a procession, and gathered it into his net: upon this he will be glad and rejoice.e He lifted vp al in the hooke, he drew it in his traine, and gathered it into his nette: vpon this he wil be glad and reioyce.✦Totum in hamo sublevavit, traxit illud in sagena sua, et congregavit in rete suum. Super hoc lætabitur, et exsultabit.
16Therefore will he immolabit: offer in sacrifice to his train, and he will sacrifice do his net: because by them his portion is fat, and his meat chosen.Therfore wil he immolate to his trayne, and he wil sacrifice do his nette: because by them his portion is fatte, and his meate chosen.✦Propterea immolabit sagenæ suæ, et sacrificabit reti suo, quia in ipsis incrassata est pars ejus, et cibus ejus electus.
17For this cause therefore spreadeth he his train, and always to kill the nations he will not spare.For this cause therfore spreddeth he his trayne, and alwayes tô kil f the nations he wil not spare.✦Propter hoc ergo expandit sagenam suam, et semper interficere gentes non parcet.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.