1 I am Habakkuk the prophet. And this is the message that the Lord gave me.
Habakkuk Complains to the Lord
2 Our Lord, how long must I beg
for your help
before you listen?
How long before you save us
from all this violence?
3 Why do you make me watch
such terrible injustice?
Why do you allow violence,
lawlessness, crime, and cruelty
to spread everywhere?
4 Laws cannot be enforced;
justice is always the loser;
criminals crowd out honest people
and twist the laws around.
The Lord Answers Habakkuk
5 Look and be amazed
at what's happening
among the nations!
Even if you were told,
you would never believe
what's taking place now.
6 I am sending the Babylonians.
They are fierce and cruel—
marching across the land,
conquering cities and towns.
7 How fearsome and frightening.
Their only laws and rules
are the ones they make up.
8 Their cavalry troops are faster
than leopards,
more ferocious than wolves
hunting at sunset,
and swifter than hungry eagles
suddenly swooping down.
9 They are eager to destroy,
and they gather captives
like handfuls of sand.
10 They make fun of rulers
and laugh at fortresses,
while building dirt mounds
so they can capture cities.
11 Then suddenly they disappear
like a gust of wind—
those sinful people who worship
their own strength.
Habakkuk Complains Again
12 Holy Lord God, mighty rock,
you are eternal,
and we are safe from death.
You are using those Babylonians
to judge and punish others.
13 But you can't stand sin or wrong.
So don't sit by in silence
while they gobble up people
who are better than they are.
14 The people you put on this earth
are like fish or reptiles
without a leader.
15 Then an enemy comes along
and takes them captive
with hooks and nets.
It makes him so happy
16 that he offers sacrifices
to his fishing nets,
because they make him rich
and provide choice foods.
17 Will he keep hauling in his nets
and destroying nations
without showing mercy?
1 Indji ondji ri ombuze Muhona ndja vandururira omuprofete Habakuk motjirimunikise.
Habakuk ma unaunine ouhasemba
2 Muhona, hi ningire ombatero kove tungapi kutja u ndji vatere; nu hi urakane ondjamo kove tungapi kutja u ndji yame kozondjito zoutwe? 3 Okutjavi tji u ndji munisa ouhasemba nai? Okutjavi tji u ha kara ko na tja noṋiṋikizire ombi otja indji? Omayandekero nozondjito zoutwe vye ndji kovera akuhe, nu poṋa apehe pe novirwa nozombata. 4 Omatwako opu ya ngundiparera, nousemba opu u he tji tjitirwa. Ovarunde ve kondoroka ovasemba novineya, nousemba opu u kamunikira aayo kawo.
Eziriro ra Muhona
5 Muhona wa tja nai kotjiwaṋa tje: “Yevayeveye mokati koviwaṋa mutjevere nawa, neṋe mamu kumisiwa i imbi mbi mamu munu. Ami me tjiti otjiṋa tji mu hi nokukambura, nandi mwa serekarererwa tjo. 6 Ami me sekamisa Ovababilon ve rire ovanauvara, ihi otjiwaṋa otjindandi notjirwe. Owo mave tuurunga ouye amave havere omahi warwe. 7 Owo otjiwaṋa otjitirise notjiurumise, nu momeritongamisiro wawo owo ve rizikira omatwako wawo oveni.
8 “Oukambe wOvababilon mbo u novikara povitotongwe nu oundandi pozombungu nḓa ṱondjara. Ovakavire vawo mave kavire okuza komahi wokokure; oukambe wawo u tupuka tjinene. Owo mave rauka otja ozonguvi nḓu maze wirire potjiriwa tjazo.
9 “Ovimbumba vyovita vyOvababilon mba mavi utukire okuyekutjita outwe, novandu avehe mave vi tira tji mavi rauka. Ovahuurwa vawo ovengi tjinene tjimuna eheke. 10 Owo mave nyengwa ozombara nave nyekerere ozohivirikwa; kape notjiṱunga tji matji ve tjaere, mave tji tungire ozondunduvahi ave tji kambura. 11 Tjazumba otji mave hingi otja otjivepo ave zengi, imba ovandu mbe vara omasa wawo otja nge ri omukuru wawo.”
Habakuk ma unaunine Muhona rukwao
12 Muhona, okuza kombutiro, tjiri, oove Ndjambi. Oove Ndjambi wandje, Omuyapuke nu waaruhe. Muhona, Ndjambi nOmuyame wandje, ove wa toorora Ovababilon no ve pe omasa kokutja ve sore okutupangura nokutuvera. 13 Nungwari pe ya vi kutja ove u zare ovandu ovavi novarunde mba? Omeho woye omayapuke tjinene nai nga tji ye hi nokusokutara mourunde, nove ko nokusora okuzara ovandu mbe tjita outwe. Okutjavi tji wa mwina owo ngunda amave yandeke otjiwaṋa otjisemba tjinene pu wo?
14 Okutjavi ove tji u ṱuna ovandu otja ozohi poo otja ehapu roupuka mbu honahona pehi nu mbu hi nomunane okuuhongorera? 15 Ovababilon ve pata ovandu nozongoorero aayo owo ozohi. Owo ve ve kokozora mozombate okuvetwara, nu ve ravaera nondjoroka komapatero wawo ngu va tjiti. 16 Owo ve rikotamena nangarire kozombate zawo nave ze punguhire ozombunguhiro, ozombate zawo tjinga aze ve pa outumbe ouingi novikurya vyombyarero.
17 Owo mave ungurisa omangaruvyo wawo nga aruhe nokukara pokuzepa omihoko nokuhinotjari are?
