Revised Literal Translation

Habakkuk 2

1I will standאֶעֱמֹ֔דָה'e.'e.Mo.dahH5975upon my watchמִשְׁמַרְתִּ֣יmish.mar.TiH4931,and setוְאֶֽתְיַצְּבָ֖הve.'et.ya.tze.VahH3320me upon the towerמָצ֑וֹרma.TzorH4692,and will watchוַאֲצַפֶּ֗הva.'a.tza.PehH6822to seeלִרְאוֹת֙lir.'OtH7200what he will sayיְדַבֶּר־ye.da.ber-H1696unto me, and what I shall answerאָשִׁ֖יב'a.ShivH7725when I am reprovedתּוֹכַחְתִּֽי׃to.khach.TiH8433.

2And Yhwhיְהוָה֙Yah.wehH3068answeredוַיַּעֲנֵ֤נִיvai.ya.'a.Ne.niH6030me, and saidוַיֹּ֔אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559,Writeכְּת֣וֹבke.TovH3789the visionחָז֔וֹןcha.ZonH2377, and make itplainוּבָאֵ֖רu.va.'ErH874upon tabletsהַלֻּח֑וֹתha.lu.ChotH3871,that he may runיָר֖וּץya.RutzH7323that readethק֥וֹרֵאKo.re'H7121it.

3For the visionחָזוֹן֙cha.zOnH2377isyet for an appointed timeלַמּוֹעֵ֔דla.mo.'EdH4150,but at the endלַקֵּ֖ץla.KetzH7093it shall speakוְיָפֵ֥חַve.ya.Fe.achH6315,and not lieיְכַזֵּ֑בye.kha.ZevH3576:though it tarryיִתְמַהְמָהּ֙yit.mah.MahH4102,waitחַכֵּה־cha.keh-H2442for it; because it will surelyבֹ֥אvo'H935comeיָבֹ֖אya.Vo'H935,it will not tarryיְאַחֵֽר׃ye.'a.CherH309.

4Behold, his soulנַפְשׁ֖וֹnaf.ShoH5315whichis lifted upעֻפְּלָ֔ה'u.pe.LahH6075is not uprightיָשְׁרָ֥הya.she.RahH3474in him: but the justוְצַדִּ֖יקve.tza.DikH6662shall liveיִחְיֶֽה׃yich.YehH2421by his faithבֶּאֱמוּנָת֥וֹbe.'e.mu.na.ToH530.

5Yea also, because he transgressethבּוֹגֵ֔דbo.GedH898by wineהַיַּ֣יִןhai.Ya.yinH3196, he isa proudיָהִ֖ירya.HirH3093manגֶּ֥בֶרGe.verH1397,neither keepeth at homeיִנְוֶ֑הyin.VehH5115,who enlargethהִרְחִ֨יבhir.ChivH7337his desireנַפְשׁ֗וֹnaf.ShoH5315as hellכִּשְׁא֜וֹלkish.'olH7585, and isas deathכַמָּ֙וֶת֙kha.Ma.vetH4194,and cannot be satisfiedיִשְׂבָּ֔עyis.Ba'H7646,but gatherethוַיֶּאֱסֹ֤ףvai.ye.'e.SofH622unto him all nationsהַגּוֹיִ֔םha.go.YimH1471,and heapethוַיִּקְבֹּ֥ץvai.yik.BotzH6908unto him all peopleהָעַמִּֽים׃ha.'a.MimH5971:

6Shall not all these take upיִשָּׂ֔אוּyi.Sa.'uH5375a parableמָשָׁ֣לma.ShalH4912against him, and a tauntingוּמְלִיצָ֖הu.me.li.TzahH4426proverbחִיד֣וֹתchi.DotH2420against him, and sayוְיֹאמַ֗רve.yo.MarH559,Woeה֚וֹיHoH1945to him that increasethהַמַּרְבֶּ֣הha.mar.BehH7235that which isnot his! how long? and to him that ladethוּמַכְבִּ֥ידu.makh.BidH3513himself with thick clayעַבְטִֽיט׃'av.TitH5671!

7Shall they not rise upיָק֙וּמוּ֙ya.Ku.muH6965suddenlyפֶ֗תַעFe.ta'H6621that shall biteנֹשְׁכֶ֔יךָno.she.Khei.khaH5391thee, and awakeוְיִקְצ֖וּve.yik.TzuH3364that shall vexמְזַעְזְעֶ֑יךָme.za'.ze.'Ei.khaH2111thee, and thou shalt be for bootiesלִמְשִׁסּ֖וֹתlim.shi.SotH4933unto them?

8Because thou hast spoiledשַׁלּ֙וֹתָ֙sha.Lo.taH7997manyרַבִּ֔יםra.BimH7227nationsגּוֹיִ֣םgo.YimH1471,all the remnantיֶ֣תֶרYe.terH3499of the peopleעַמִּ֑ים'a.MimH5971shall spoilיְשָׁלּ֖וּךָye.sha.Lu.khaH7997thee; because of men’sאָדָם֙'a.DamH120bloodמִדְּמֵ֤יmi.de.MeiH1818, and forthe violenceוַחֲמַס־va.cha.mas-H2555of the landאֶ֔רֶץ'E.retzH776,of the cityקִרְיָ֖הkir.YahH7151,and of all that dwellיֹ֥שְׁבֵיYo.she.veiH3427therein.

9Woeה֗וֹיHoH1945to him that covetethבֹּצֵ֛עַbo.Tze.a'H1214an evilרָ֖עra'H7451covetousnessבֶּ֥צַעBe.tza'H1215to his houseלְבֵית֑וֹle.vei.ToH1004,that he may setלָשׂ֤וּםla.SumH7760his nestקִנּ֔וֹki.NoH7064on highבַּמָּרוֹם֙ba.ma.rOmH4791,that he may be deliveredלְהִנָּצֵ֖לle.hi.na.TzelH5337from the powerמִכַּף־mi.kaf-H3709of evilרָֽע׃Ra'H7451!

10Thou hast consultedיָעַ֥צְתָּya.'Atz.taH3289shameבֹּ֖שֶׁתBo.shetH1322to thy houseלְבֵיתֶ֑ךָle.vei.Te.khaH1004by cutting offקְצוֹת־ke.tzot-H7096manyרַבִּ֖יםra.BimH7227peopleעַמִּ֥ים'a.MimH5971,and hast sinnedוְחוֹטֵ֥אve.cho.Te'H2398againstthy soulנַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃naf.She.khaH5315.

11For the stoneאֶ֖בֶן'E.venH68shall cry outתִּזְעָ֑קtiz.'AkH2199of the wallמִקִּ֣ירmi.KirH7023,and the beam outוְכָפִ֖יסve.kha.FisH3714of the timberמֵעֵ֥ץme.'EtzH6086shall answerיַעֲנֶֽנָּה׃ פya.'a.Ne.nahH6030it.

12Woeה֛וֹיHoH1945to him that buildethבֹּנֶ֥הbo.NehH1129a townעִ֖יר'irH5892with bloodבְּדָמִ֑יםbe.da.MimH1818,and stablishethוְכוֹנֵ֥ןve.kho.NenH3559a cityקִרְיָ֖הkir.YahH7151by iniquityבְּעַוְלָֽה׃be.'av.LahH5766!

13Behold, is itnot of Yhwhיְהוָ֣הYah.wehH3068of Armiesצְבָא֑וֹתtze.va.'otH6635that the peopleעַמִּים֙'a.MimH5971shall labourוְיִֽיגְע֤וּve.yi.ge.'UH3021in the veryבְּדֵי־be.dei-H1767fireאֵ֔שׁ'EshH784,and the peopleוּלְאֻמִּ֖יםu.le.'u.MimH3816shall wearyיִעָֽפוּ׃yi.'A.fuH3286themselves for veryבְּדֵי־be.dei-H1767vanityרִ֥יקrikH7385?

14For the earthהָאָ֔רֶץha.'A.retzH776shall be filledתִּמָּלֵ֣אti.ma.Le'H4390with the knowledgeלָדַ֖עַתla.Da.'atH3045of the gloryכְּב֣וֹדke.VodH3519of Yhwhיְהוָ֑הYah.wehH3068,as the watersכַּמַּ֖יִםka.Ma.yimH4325coverיְכַסּ֥וּye.kha.SuH3680the seaיָֽם׃ סYamH3220.

15Woeה֚וֹיHoH1945unto him that giveth his neighbourרֵעֵ֔הוּre.'E.huH7453drinkמַשְׁקֵ֣הmash.KehH8248,that puttestמְסַפֵּ֥חַme.sa.Pe.achH5596thy bottleH2573to him, and makest himdrunkenשַׁכֵּ֑רsha.KerH7937also, that thou mayest lookהַבִּ֖יטha.BitH5027on their nakednessמְעוֹרֵיהֶֽם׃me.'o.rei.HemH4589!

16Thou art filledשָׂבַ֤עְתָּsa.Va'.taH7646with shameקָלוֹן֙ka.lOnH7036for gloryמִכָּב֔וֹדmi.ka.VodH3519:drinkשְׁתֵ֥הshe.TehH8354thou also, and let thy foreskin be uncoveredוְהֵֽעָרֵ֑לve.he.'a.RelH6188:the cupכּ֚וֹסKosH3563of Yhwh'sיְהוָ֔הYah.wehH3068right handיְמִ֣יןye.MinH3225shall be turnedתִּסּ֣וֹבti.SovH5437unto thee, and shameful spewingוְקִיקָל֖וֹןve.ki.ka.LonH7022shall beon thy gloryכְּבוֹדֶֽךָ׃ke.vo.De.khaH3519.

17For the violenceחֲמַ֤סcha.MasH2555of Lebanonלְבָנוֹן֙le.va.nOnH3844shall coverיְכַסֶּ֔ךָּye.kha.Se.kaH3680thee, and the spoilוְשֹׁ֥דve.ShodH7701of beastsבְּהֵמ֖וֹתbe.he.MotH929, whichmade them afraidיְחִיתַ֑ןye.chi.TanH2865,because of men’sאָדָם֙'a.DamH120bloodמִדְּמֵ֤יmi.de.MeiH1818,and for the violenceוַחֲמַס־va.cha.mas-H2555of the landאֶ֔רֶץ'E.retzH776,of the cityקִרְיָ֖הkir.YahH7151,and of all that dwellיֹ֥שְׁבֵיYo.she.veiH3427therein.

18What profitethהוֹעִ֣ילho.'IlH3276the graven imageפֶּ֗סֶלPe.selH6459that the makerיֹֽצְר֔וֹyo.tze.RoH3335thereof hath gravenפְסָלוֹ֙fe.sa.LoH6458it; the molten imageמַסֵּכָ֖הma.se.KhahH4541,and a teacherוּמ֣וֹרֶהu.Mo.rehH3384of liesשָּׁ֑קֶרSha.kerH8267,that the makerיֹצֵ֤רyo.TzerH3335of his workיִצְרוֹ֙yitz.RoH3336trustethבָטַ֞חva.TachH982therein, to makeלַעֲשׂ֖וֹתla.'a.SotH6213dumbאִלְּמִֽים׃ ס'i.le.MimH483idolsאֱלִילִ֥ים'e.li.LimH457?

19Woeה֣וֹיHoH1945unto him that saithאֹמֵ֤ר'o.MerH559to the woodלָעֵץ֙la.'EtzH6086,Awakeהָקִ֔יצָהha.Ki.tzahH6974;to the dumbדּוּמָ֑םdu.MamH1748stoneלְאֶ֣בֶןle.'E.venH68,Ariseע֖וּרִי'U.riH5782,it shall teachיוֹרֶ֔הyo.RehH3384! Behold, it islaidתָּפוּשׂ֙ta.FusH8610over with goldזָהָ֣בza.HavH2091and silverוָכֶ֔סֶףva.Khe.sefH3701, and there isno breathר֖וּחַRu.achH7307at all in the midstבְּקִרְבּֽוֹ׃be.kir.BoH7130of it.

20But Yhwhוַֽיהוָ֖הva.Yah.wehH3068isin his holyקָדְשׁ֑וֹka.de.ShoH6944templeבְּהֵיכַ֣לbe.hei.KhalH1964:let all the earthהָאָֽרֶץ׃ פha.'A.retzH776keep silenceהַ֥סhasH2013beforeמִפָּנָ֖יוmi.pa.NavH6440him.

Commentaries on Habakkuk 2