1This is a prophecy that Habakkuk the prophet received from the Lord. Here is what Habakkuk said.
Habakkuk Complains to the Lord
2Lord, how long do I have to call out for help?
Why don’t you listen to me?
How long must I keep telling you
that things are terrible?
Why don’t you save us?
3Why do you make me watch while
people treat others so unfairly?
Why do you put up with the wrong things
they are doing?
I have to look at death.
People are harming others.
They are arguing and fighting all the time.
4The law can’t do what it’s supposed to do.
Fairness never comes out on top.
Sinful people surround those
who do what is right.
So people are never treated fairly.
The Lord Replies to Habakkuk
5The Lord replies,
“Look at the nations. Watch them.
Be totally amazed at what you see.
I am going to do something in your days
that you would never believe.
You would not believe it
even if someone told you about it.
6I am going to send the armies of Babylon to attack you.
They are very mean. They move quickly.
They sweep across the whole earth.
They take over homes
that do not belong to them.
7They terrify others.
They do not recognize any laws but their own.
That is how proud they are.
8Their horses are faster than leopards.
They are meaner than wolves at sunset.
Their horsemen charge straight into battle.
They ride in from far away.
They come down like an eagle
diving for its food.
9All of them are ready and willing to destroy others.
Their huge armies advance like a wind out of the desert.
They gather prisoners like sand.
10They mock kings
and make fun of rulers.
They laugh at all the cities
that have high walls around them.
They build dirt ramps against the walls
and capture the cities.
11They sweep past like the wind.
Then they go on their way.
They are guilty.
They worship their own strength.”
Habakkuk Complains to the Lord Again
12Lord, haven’t you existed forever?
You are my holy God.
You will never die.
Lord, you have appointed the Babylonians
to punish your people.
My Rock, you have chosen them to judge us.
13Your eyes are too pure to look at what is evil.
You can’t put up with the wrong things people do.
So why do you put up
with those who can’t be trusted?
The evil Babylonians swallow up
those who are more godly than themselves.
So why are you silent?
14You have made people to be like the fish in the sea.
They are like the sea creatures that don’t have a ruler.
15The evil Babylonians pull all of them up with hooks.
They catch them in their nets.
They gather them up.
So they celebrate.
They are glad.
16They offer sacrifices to their nets.
They burn incense to them.
Their nets allow them to live in great comfort.
They enjoy the finest food.
17Are you going to let them
keep on emptying their nets?
Will they go on destroying nations
without showing them any mercy?
1Eyi ne asɛm a odiyifo Habakuk nya fii Awurade nkyɛn wɔ anisoadehu mu.
Habakuk Anwiinwii
2Awurade, enkosi da bɛn na memfrɛ nsrɛ mmoa,
nanso wuntie me?
Meteɛ mu frɛ, “Akakabensɛm!”
nanso womma mmegye me.
3Adɛn na woma mehwɛ ntɛnkyew?
Adɛn nti na wotena bɔne ho?
Ɔsɛe ne akakabensɛm da mʼanim,
basabasayɛ ne abɛbrɛsɛ atwa me ho ahyia.
4Enti mmara nyɛ adwuma
na atɛntrenee nni baabiara,
atirimɔdenfo aka atreneefo ahyɛ,
enti wɔkyea atemmu.
Awurade Mmuae
5“Hwɛ aman no,
na wo ho bedwiriw wo!
Merebɛyɛ biribi wɔ wo bere so,
na sɛ wɔka kyerɛ wo a,
worennye nni.
6Merema Babiloniafo asɔre,
ɔman a wɔyɛ atirimɔdenfo ne ntɔkwapɛfo;
wobu fa asase nyinaa so,
na wɔfa tenabea a ɛnyɛ wɔn de.
7Wɔn ho yɛ hu na nnipa suro wɔn;
wɔyɛ wɔn koko so ade,
de pɛ anuonyam ma wɔn ho.
8Wɔn apɔnkɔ ho yɛ hare sen asebɔ,
na wɔn ho yɛ hu sen pataku a ɔnam anadwo,
wɔn apɔnkɔsotefo kɔ wɔn anim mmarima so,
wofi akyirikyiri nsase so,
na wɔbɔ hoo sɛ akorɔma a ɔrekɔkyere aboa.
9Wɔn nyinaa ba sɛ wɔrebɛyɛ basabasayɛ.
Wɔn dɔm pem kɔ wɔn anim te sɛ nweatam so mframa,
na wɔtase nneduafo sɛ nwea.
10Wodi ahene ho fɛw,
wɔka aman sodifo anim,
na wɔtwee nkuropɔn a ɛwɔ bammɔ dennen.
Wosisi dɔte mpie nam so kyekyere atamfo.
11Wɔbɔ hoo te sɛ mframa kɔ wɔn anim.
Afɔdifo a wɔn ahoɔden yɛ wɔn nyame.”
Habakuk Nwiinwii Bio
12Awurade, wunni hɔ fi tete ana?
Me Nyankopɔn, me Kronkronni, wo a wote ase daa.
Wo, Awurade, woapaw wɔn sɛ wommu atɛn;
wo, me Botantim, woahyɛ wɔn sɛ wɔntwe aso.
13Wʼaniwa yɛ kronkron a wuntumi nhwɛ nnebɔne;
wunnyigye nnebɔne so.
Na adɛn nti na wugyigye nnipa akɔntɔnkye so,
na dɛn nti na wayɛ komm wɔ bere a
atirimɔdenfo rememene atreneefo?
14Woama nnipa ayɛ sɛ nsumnam a ɛwɔ po mu,
te sɛ abɔde a ɛwɔ po mu a wonni sodifo.
15Ɔtamfo tirimɔdenfo no de darewa yi wɔn,
ogu nʼasau de buma wɔn,
na afei ɔsɛpɛw ne ho ma nʼani gye.
16Ne saa nti ɔbɔ afɔre ma nʼasau
na wahyew aduhuam ama no,
efisɛ asau yi so na ɔnam nya yiyedi,
na odi nʼakɔnnɔ aduan.
17Enti ɔnkɔ so nni nʼasau mu nam,
na ɔmfa atirimɔden nsɛe aman ana?
