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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>Habakkuk 1 CEV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /></head> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-LR4HSKRP2H"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-LR4HSKRP2H'); </script><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/habakkuk/1.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/habakkuk/1-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="//biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">CEV</a> > Habakkuk 1</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../nahum/3.htm" title="Nahum 3">◄</a> Habakkuk 1 <a href="../habakkuk/2.htm" title="Habakkuk 2">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading">Contemporary English Version</div><div class="chap"><p class="par"><span class="v35_1_1"><span class="reftext" id="Hab.1.1" class="v35_1_1">1</span>I am Habakkuk the prophet. And this is the message<a href="#fn" id="link_Hab.1.1!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> that the <span class="nd">Lord</span> gave me.</span></p><h3 class="s1">Habakkuk Complains to the <span class="nd">Lord</span></h3><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_2"><span class="reftext" id="Hab.1.2" class="v35_1_2">2</span>Our <span class="nd">Lord</span>, how long must I beg</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_2">for your help</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v35_1_2">before you listen?</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_2">How long before you save us</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v35_1_2">from all this violence?</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_3"><span class="reftext" id="Hab.1.3" class="v35_1_3">3</span>Why do you make me watch</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v35_1_3">such terrible injustice?</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_3">Why do you allow violence,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_3">lawlessness, crime, and cruelty</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v35_1_3">to spread everywhere?</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_4"><span class="reftext" id="Hab.1.4" class="v35_1_4">4</span>Laws cannot be enforced;</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v35_1_4">justice is always the loser;</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_4">criminals crowd out honest people</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v35_1_4">and twist the laws around.</span></p><h3 class="s1">The <span class="nd">Lord</span> Answers Habakkuk</h3><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_5"><span class="reftext" id="Hab.1.5" class="v35_1_5">5</span><a href="#fn" id="link_Hab.1.5!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> Look and be amazed</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_5">at what's happening</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v35_1_5">among the nations!</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_5">Even if you were told,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_5">you would never believe</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v35_1_5">what's taking place now.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_6"><span class="reftext" id="Hab.1.6" class="v35_1_6">6</span><a href="#fn" id="link_Hab.1.6!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> I am sending the Babylonians.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_6">They are fierce and cruel—</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v35_1_6">marching across the land,</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v35_1_6">conquering cities and towns.</span></p><p class="b"></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_7"><span class="reftext" id="Hab.1.7" class="v35_1_7">7</span>How fearsome and frightening.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_7">Their only laws and rules</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v35_1_7">are the ones they make up.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_8"><span class="reftext" id="Hab.1.8" class="v35_1_8">8</span>Their cavalry troops are faster</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v35_1_8">than leopards,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_8">more ferocious than wolves</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v35_1_8">hunting at sunset,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_8">and swifter than hungry eagles</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v35_1_8">suddenly swooping down.</span></p><p class="b"></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_9"><span class="reftext" id="Hab.1.9" class="v35_1_9">9</span>They are eager to destroy,<a href="#fn" id="link_Hab.1.9!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_9">and they gather captives</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v35_1_9">like handfuls of sand.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_10"><span class="reftext" id="Hab.1.10" class="v35_1_10">10</span>They make fun of rulers</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v35_1_10">and laugh at fortresses,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_10">while building dirt mounds</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v35_1_10">so they can capture cities.<a href="#fn" id="link_Hab.1.10!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_11"><span class="reftext" id="Hab.1.11" class="v35_1_11">11</span>Then suddenly they disappear</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v35_1_11">like a gust of wind—</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_11">those sinful people who worship</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v35_1_11">their own strength.</span></p><h3 class="s1">Habakkuk Complains Again</h3><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_12"><span class="reftext" id="Hab.1.12" class="v35_1_12">12</span>Holy <span class="nd">Lord</span> God, mighty rock,<a href="#fn" id="link_Hab.1.12!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_12">you are eternal,</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v35_1_12">and we<a href="#fn" id="link_Hab.1.12!f.2" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> are safe from death.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_12">You are using those Babylonians</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v35_1_12">to judge and punish others.<a href="#fn" id="link_Hab.1.12!f.3" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_13"><span class="reftext" id="Hab.1.13" class="v35_1_13">13</span>But you can't stand sin or wrong.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_13">So don't sit by in silence</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v35_1_13">while they gobble up people</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_13">who are better than they are.</span></p><p class="b"></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_14"><span class="reftext" id="Hab.1.14" class="v35_1_14">14</span>The people you put on this earth</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_14">are like fish or reptiles</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v35_1_14">without a leader.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_15"><span class="reftext" id="Hab.1.15" class="v35_1_15">15</span>Then an enemy comes along</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_15">and takes them captive</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v35_1_15">with hooks and nets.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_15">It makes him so happy</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_16"><span class="reftext" id="Hab.1.16" class="v35_1_16">16</span>that he offers sacrifices</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v35_1_16">to his fishing nets,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_16">because they make him rich</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v35_1_16">and provide choice foods.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_17"><span class="reftext" id="Hab.1.17" class="v35_1_17">17</span>Will he keep hauling in his nets</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v35_1_17">and destroying nations</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v35_1_17">without showing mercy?</span></p> <a name="fn"></a><br /><br /><br /><b>Footnotes:<br /><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">1.1 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">message: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Or “vision.”</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">1.9 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">eager to destroy: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">1.10 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">dirt mounds … cities: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Attacking armies often build dirt mounds against city walls to make it easier for them to climb the wall and capture the city.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">1.12 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">mighty rock: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">The Hebrew text has “rock,” which is sometimes used in poetry to compare the <char style="nd">Lord</char> to a mountain where his people can run for protection from their enemies.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">1.12 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">we: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Hebrew; one ancient Jewish tradition “you.”</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">1.12 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">You … others: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Or “You will judge and punish those Babylonians.”</char></note></div></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div align="center"><p><span style="font-size:11pt;">Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt;">© 2006 American Bible Society. 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