The prophet complains of the wickedness of the people: God reveals to him the vengeance he is going to take of them by the Chaldeans.

 1 The burden that Habacuc the prophet saw.
Onus quod vidit Habacuc propheta.

 2 How long, O Lord, shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear? shall I cry out to thee suffering violence, and thou wilt not save?
Usquequo, Domine, clamabo, et non exaudies? vociferabor ad te, vim patiens, et non salvabis?

 3 Why hast thou shewn me iniquity and grievance, to see rapine and injustice before me? and there is a judgment, but opposition is more powerful.
Quare ostendisti mihi iniquitatem et laborem, videre praedam et injustitiam contra me? Et factum est judicium, et contradictio potentior.

 4 Therefore the law is torn in pieces, and judgment cometh not to the end: because the wicked prevaileth against the just, therefore wrong judgment goeth forth.
Propter hoc lacerata est lex, et non pervenit usque ad finem judicium; quia impius praevalet adversus justum, propterea egreditur judicium perversum.

 5 Behold ye among the nations, and see: wonder, and be astonished: for a work is done in your days, which no man will believe when it shall be told.
Aspicite in gentibus, et videte; admiramini, et obstupescite : quia opus factum est in diebus vestris, quod nemo credet cum narrabitur.

 6 For behold, I will raise up the Chaldeans, a bitter and swift nation, marching upon the breadth of the earth, to possess the dwelling places that are not their own.
Quia ecce ego suscitabo Chaldaeos, gentem amaram et velocem, ambulantem super latitudinem terrae, ut possideat tabernacula non sua.

 7 They are dreadful, and terrible: from themselves shall their judgment, and their burden proceed.
Horribilis et terribilis est : ex semetipsa judicium et onus ejus egredietur.

 8 Their horses are lighter than leopards, and swifter than evening wolves; and their horsemen shall be spread abroad: for their horsemen shall come from afar, they shall fly as an eagle that maketh haste to eat.
Leviores pardis equi ejus, et velociores lupis vespertinis : et diffundentur equites ejus : equites namque ejus de longe venient; volabunt quasi aquila festinans ad comedendum.

 9 They shall all come to the prey, their face is like a burning wind: and they shall gather together captives as the sand.
Omnes ad praedam venient, facies eorum ventus urens; et congregabit quasi arenam captivitatem.

 10 And their prince shall triumph over kings, and princes shall be his laughingstock: and he shall laugh at every strong hold, and shall cast up a mount, and shall take it.
Et ipse de regibus triumphabit, et tyranni ridiculi ejus erunt; ipse super omnem munitionem ridebit, et comportabit aggerem, et capiet eam.

 11 Then shall his spirit be changed, and he shall pass, and fall: this is his strength of his god.
Tunc mutabitur spiritus, et pertransibit, et corruet : haec est fortitudo ejus dei sui.

 12 Wast thou not from the beginning, O Lord my God, my holy one, and we shall not die? Lord, thou hast appointed him for judgment: and made him strong for correction.
Numquid non tu a principio, Domine, Deus meus, sancte meus, et non moriemur? Domine, in judicium posuisti eum, et fortem, ut corriperes, fundasti eum.

 13 Thy eyes are too pure to behold evil, and thou canst not look on iniquity. Why lookest thou upon them that do unjust things, and holdest thy peace when the wicked devoureth the man that is more just than himself?
Mundi sunt oculi tui, ne videas malum, et respicere ad iniquitatem non poteris. Quare respicis super iniqua agentes, et taces devorante impio justiorem se?

 14 And thou wilt make men as the fishes of the sea, and as the creeping things that have no ruler.
Et facies homines quasi pisces maris, et quasi reptile non habens principem.

 15 He lifted up all them with his hook, he drew them in his drag, and gathered them into his net: for this he will be glad and rejoice.
Totum in hamo sublevavit, traxit illud in sagena sua, et congregavit in rete suum. Super hoc laetabitur, et exsultabit.

 16 Therefore will he offer victims to his drag, and he will sacrifice to his net: because through them his portion is made fat, and his meat dainty.
Propterea immolabit sagenae suae, et sacrificabit reti suo, quia in ipsis incrassata est pars ejus, et cibus ejus electus.

 17 For this cause therefore he spreadeth his net, and will not spare continually to slay the nations.
Propter hoc ergo expandit sagenam suam, et semper interficere gentes non parcet.