1 I am Habakkuk the prophet. And this is the message that the Lord gave me.
2 Our Lord, how long must I begfor your helpbefore you listen?How long before you save usfrom all this violence?
3 Why do you make me watchsuch terrible injustice?Why do you allow violence,lawlessness, crime, and crueltyto spread everywhere?
4 Laws cannot be enforced;justice is always the loser;criminals crowd out honest peopleand twist the laws around.
5 Look and be amazedat what's happeningamong the nations!Even if you were told,you would never believewhat's taking place now.
6 I am sending the Babylonians.They are fierce and cruel—marching across the land,conquering cities and towns.
7 How fearsome and frightening.Their only laws and rulesare the ones they make up.
8 Their cavalry troops are fasterthan leopards,more ferocious than wolveshunting at sunset,and swifter than hungry eaglessuddenly swooping down.
9 They are eager to destroy,and they gather captiveslike handfuls of sand.
10 They make fun of rulersand laugh at fortresses,while building dirt moundsso they can capture cities.
11 Then suddenly they disappearlike a gust of wind—those sinful people who worshiptheir own strength.
12 Holy Lord God, mighty rock,you are eternal,and we are safe from death.You are using those Babyloniansto judge and punish others.
13 But you can't stand sin or wrong.So don't sit by in silencewhile they gobble up peoplewho are better than they are.
14 The people you put on this earthare like fish or reptileswithout a leader.
15 Then an enemy comes alongand takes them captivewith hooks and nets.It makes him so happy
16 that he offers sacrificesto his fishing nets,because they make him richand provide choice foods.
17 Will he keep hauling in his netsand destroying nationswithout showing mercy?