1 Dama lakaamutjigwa nge Nlebesambeli Habakuku.
Ng'ong'olo dza Habakuku
2 Kowotola tjibaka tjingapani Yahwe, ndikumbila bhatsho,
koga imwi musingahwilile?
Ndimimilila kumuli nditi, “Phipiti,”
ngono musingatjidze?
3 Ini muthama kuti ndibone tjisakatambunuka,
ndilinge mbipo kene?
Golomodzo ne phipiti zwimbeli kwangu,
kugwa ne kumukilana ku pamwe ne pamwe.
4 Ndizo wali nlayo wadzinganyidziwa,
kutambunuka akuna pakunobepo.
Ngoti babi banokombeledza balulwami,
ndizo kuti kutambunuka kuleyane.
Dabilo ya Yahwe
5 Linga zwitjaba ubone!
Ngono ukaabale! Udzidzibale!
Ngoti ndowoshinga tjimwe mu mazhuba awo,
tjausingawogalamoyo,
nenguba ungabe watjibudziwa.
6 Ndomilidza Bakhaladiya,
bathu ibabaje banotjisa bana majatu,
banoyenda shango yose
betapa magalo asiabo.
7 Banotjisa kakale banotjika,
banozwithamigwa nlayo nge kwabo,
banolumbidza gudzo labo.
8 Mbizi dzabo dzina lubilo kupinda dindingwe,
banotjisa kupinda phele mu zhalima,
mbizi dzabo dzomatha ha dzinginilila.
Batathi badzo banodwa kule,
banowuluka se dzu lidzamulila kunoja.
9 Banozha bose bezhila phipiti,
bedwilila bakalinga mbeli
bekubunganya batapiwa bangapa nsetje nge bunji.
10 Banokuwelela bomambo,
bakadadila babusi.
Banoseka mizi mikulu yose ye matizhilo yakasima,
bebe bebaka matuluthulu e mavu beitapa.
11 Ipapo bebe bepinda se phepo bedwilila,
bana nlandu, ibo banoti simba labo ndzimu wabo.
Habakuku unong'ong'ola kakale
12 Imwi Yahwe apa amuzobepo kudwa ntolo tjose kene?
Ndzimu wangu, Nyengemali wangu, iswi atitowofa.
Imwi Yahwe makabatjwayila kusumikilisiwa,
Imwi Shongwe makabashalulila kulobgwa shamu.
13 Mesho enyu mabuyanana kwaasakafanila kulinga mbipo,
amungaletjedzele tjisiitjo tjishingikala.
Ini ngono mu letjedzela batjebeli?
Munyelelileni babiibi
belobesa bakalulwama kubapinda saikoku wali?
14 Makathama bathu bakanga hwobe dze gungwa,
bakanga zwibumbiwa zwe gungwa zwisina mbusi.
15 Tjita tjibi tjobakweba bose nge zwiweko,
tjobabhatshila nge gwanga gwatjo,
unowobakubunganya mu dandi lile,
ndizo ebe eshatha eshongozhela.
16 Ndizo wali ebe edusila zwibhayilo gwanga gugwe
ebe episila dandi lile motsha,
ngoti gwanga gugwe go ntjidzila mu ipepkhwe
eguta zojiwa zwinozipa.
17 Apa unowodwilila emola gwanga gugwe,
elobesa zwitjaba asina ngoni tjatjose kene?
1 The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see. 2 O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save! 3 Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention. 4 Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.
5 ¶ Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you . 6 For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs. 7 They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves. 8 Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat. 9 They shall come all for violence: their faces shall sup up as the east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the sand. 10 And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a scorn unto them: they shall deride every strong hold; for they shall heap dust, and take it. 11 Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend, imputing this his power unto his god.
12 ¶ Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction. 13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he? 14 And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them? 15 They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: therefore they rejoice and are glad. 16 Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous. 17 Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations?