1Esta es la profecía que el profeta Habacuc recibió en visión.
La primera queja de Habacuc
2¿Hasta cuándo, Señor, he de pedirte ayuda
sin que tú me escuches?
¿Hasta cuándo he de clamar «¡violencia!»,
sin que tú nos salves?
3¿Por qué me haces presenciar tanta iniquidad?
¿Por qué toleras la maldad?
Veo ante mis ojos destrucción y violencia;
surgen riñas y abundan las contiendas.
4Por lo tanto, se debilita la Ley
y no prevalece la justicia.
El malvado acosa al justo
y se pervierte la justicia.
La respuesta del Señor
5«¡Miren a las naciones!
¡Contémplenlas y quédense asombrados!
Estoy por hacer en estos días una obra,
que si se la contara, no la creerían.
6Estoy incitando a los babilonios,1:6 Lit. caldeos.
ese pueblo despiadado e impetuoso,
que recorre toda la tierra
para apoderarse de territorios ajenos.
7Son un pueblo temible y espantoso,
que impone su propia justicia
y promueve su propia honra.
8Sus caballos son más veloces que leopardos,
más feroces que lobos nocturnos.
Su caballería se lanza a todo galope;
sus jinetes vienen de muy lejos.
Vuelan como águilas que se lanzan dispuestas a devorar.
9Todos vienen para hacer violencia;
avanzan sus hordas1:9 hordas. Palabra de difícil traducción. como el viento del desierto,
hacen prisioneros como quien recoge arena.
10Ridiculizan a los reyes,
se burlan de los gobernantes;
se ríen de toda ciudad amurallada,
pues construyen rampas y la toman.
11Son un viento que a su paso arrasa todo;
su pecado es hacer de su fuerza un dios».
La segunda queja de Habacuc
12¿No eres tú, Señor, desde la eternidad?
¡Tú, mi Dios, mi santo, no morirás!1:12 no morirás; según una tradición rabínica; no moriremos (TM).
Tú, Señor, los has puesto para hacer justicia;
tú, mi Roca, los has puesto para ejecutar tu castigo.
13Son tan puros tus ojos que no puedes ver el mal;
no te es posible contemplar la opresión.
¿Por qué entonces toleras a los traidores?
¿Por qué guardas silencio
mientras los malvados se tragan a los más justos que ellos?
14Has hecho a los hombres como peces del mar,
como reptiles que no tienen jefe.
15El malvado los saca a todos con anzuelo,
los arrastra con sus redes,
los recoge entre sus mallas,
y así se alegra y regocija.
16Por lo tanto, ofrece sacrificios a sus redes
y quema incienso a sus mallas,
pues gracias a sus redes su porción es sabrosa
y su comida es suculenta.
17¿Continuará vaciando sus redes
y matando sin piedad a las naciones?
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?
