Habakuk 1:4

1:4 For this reason the law lacks power, ¹ 

and justice is never carried out. ² 

Indeed, ³  the wicked intimidate ⁴  the innocent. ⁵ 

For this reason justice is perverted. ⁶ 

Habakuk 2:8

2:8 Because you robbed many countries, ⁷ 

all who are left among the nations ⁸  will rob you.

You have shed human blood

and committed violent acts against lands, cities, ⁹  and those who live in them.

Habakuk 2:19

2:19 The one who says to wood, ‘Wake up!’ is as good as dead ¹⁰  –

he who says ¹¹  to speechless stone, ‘Awake!’

Can it give reliable guidance? ¹² 

It is overlaid with gold and silver;

it has no life’s breath inside it.

[1:4]  ¹ tn Heb “the law is numb,” i.e., like a hand that has “fallen asleep” (see Ps 77:2). Cf. NAB “is benumbed”; NIV “is paralyzed.”

[1:4]  ² tn Heb “never goes out.”

[1:4]  ³ tn Or “for.”

[1:4]  ⁴ tn Heb “surround” (so NASB, NRSV).

[1:4]  ⁵ tn Or “righteous” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).

[1:4]  ⁶ tn Heb “comes out crooked.”

[2:8]  ⁷ tn Or “nations.”

[2:8]  ⁸ tn Or “peoples.”

[2:8]  ⁹ tn Heb “because of the shed blood of humankind and violence against land, city.” The singular forms אֶרֶץ (’erets, “land”) and קִרְיָה (qiryah, “city”) are collective, referring to all the lands and cities terrorized by the Babylonians.

[2:19]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “Woe [to] the one who says.” On the term הוֹי (hoy) see the note on the word “dead” in v. 6.

[2:19]  ¹¹ tn The words “he who says” in the translation are supplied from the previous parallel line.

[2:19]  ¹² tn Though the Hebrew text has no formal interrogative marker here, the context indicates that the statement should be taken as a rhetorical question anticipating the answer, “Of course not!” (so also NIV, NRSV).