¹The oracle which Habakkuk the prophet saw.

¹ Deda kaŋ annabi* Habaku maa neeya:

¹The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.

² Yahweh, “Yahweh” is God’s proper Name, sometimes rendered “LORD” (all caps) in other translations. how long will I cry, and you will not hear? I cry out to you “Violence!” and will you not save?

² «Ya Rabbi, za waati fo no ay go ga ni ce, Ni mo, ni si yadda ka maa? Ay g'ay jinda tunandi ni gaa toonyeyaŋ sabbay se, Amma ni wangu ka faaba.

²O Jehovah, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear? I cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save.

³Why do you show me iniquity, and look at perversity? For destruction and violence are before me. There is strife, and contention rises up.

³ Ifo se no ni goono ga laala cabe ay se, Ni goono ga goro hinne ka taali guna? Zama hasaraw da toonye go ay jine, Kusuuma go no, canda-canda mo tun.

³Why dost thou show me iniquity, and look upon perverseness? for destruction and violence are before me; and there is strife, and contention riseth up.

⁴Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth; for the wicked surround the righteous; therefore justice goes forth perverted.

⁴ Woodin se no laab'izey na saalay kaa asariya* gaa. Cimi ciiti mo siino ga goy, Zama boro laaley na adilantey windi, Woodin se no ciiti sanney ga fatta da siiriyaŋ.

⁴Therefore the law is slacked, and justice doth never go forth; for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore justice goeth forth perverted.

⁵“Look among the nations, watch, and wonder marvelously; for I am working a work in your days, which you will not believe though it is told you.

⁵ Wa guna dumi cindey ra, wa laakal, Wa takooko ka dambara gumo nda cimi. Zama ay ga goy fo te araŋ jirbey ra, Kaŋ araŋ s'a cimandi, Baa day boro fo n'a ci araŋ se.

⁵Behold ye among the nations, and look, and wonder marvellously; for I am working a work in your days, which ye will not believe though it be told you.

⁶For, behold, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, that march through the breadth of the earth, to possess dwelling places that are not theirs.

⁶ Zama guna, ay ga Kaldancey tunandi, Dumo wo kaŋ ga futu, kaŋ ga cahã mo. Ngey kaŋ yaŋ ga dira ka ndunnya tafayyaŋo gana, Zama ngey ma nangorayey kaŋ manti i wane yaŋ di.

⁶For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, that march through the breadth of the earth, to possess dwelling-places that are not theirs.

⁷They are feared and dreaded. Their judgment and their dignity proceed from themselves.

⁷ I ga humburandi, i ga biney pati mo. I ciito d'i beera, Ngey bumbey do no a ga fun.

⁷They are terrible and dreadful; their judgment and their dignity proceed from themselves.

⁸Their horses also are swifter than leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves. Their horsemen press proudly on. Yes, their horsemen come from afar. They fly as an eagle that hurries to devour.

⁸ I bariyey waasu nda mari, I bisa cin sakali* bine korni mo. I bari-karey ga haabandi ka kaa, Oho, i bari-karey nangu mooro no i ga fun. I ga deesi danga gaadogo kaŋ ga zumbu nga ham boŋ.

⁸Their horses also are swifter than leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves; and their horsemen press proudly on: yea, their horsemen come from far; they fly as an eagle that hasteth to devour.

⁹All of them come for violence. Their hordes face the desert. He gathers prisoners like sand.

⁹ I kulu ga kaa no da toonye miila, I moydumey ga koy jina nda anniya, I ga tamyaŋ margu sanda taasi cine mo.

⁹They come all of them for violence; the set of their faces is forwards; and they gather captives as the sand.

¹⁰Yes, he scoffs at kings, and princes are a derision to him. He laughs at every stronghold, for he builds up an earthen ramp, and takes it.

¹⁰ Oho, i ga bonkooney hahaara, Koy-izey mo donda-caray hariyaŋ no i se. Wongu fu kulu, i ga dond'a no, Zama i ga laabu gusam ka citila _ka kaaru|_ k'a ŋwa.

¹⁰Yea, he scoffeth at kings, and princes are a derision unto him; he derideth every stronghold; for he heapeth up dust, and taketh it.

¹¹Then he sweeps by like the wind, and goes on. He is indeed guilty, whose strength is his god.”

¹¹ Waato din gaa i ga zumbu ka bisa sanda haw bisayaŋ cine, I ga ciya taali-teeriyaŋ mo, Ngey kaŋ i hino ga ti i de-koyo*.

¹¹Then shall he sweep by [as] a wind, and shall pass over, and be guilty, [even] he whose might is his god.

¹²Aren’t you from everlasting, Yahweh my God The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “Elohim.” , my Holy One? We will not die. Yahweh, you have appointed him for judgment. You, Rock, have established him to punish.

¹² Ya Rabbi ay Irikoyo, ay Hananyankoyo, Manti za doŋ-doŋ kaŋ sinda me no ni go no bo? Iri si bu. Ya Rabbi, ni n'i waadu i ma ciiti goy te. Ni mo, ya Tondo, ni n'i kayandi goojiyaŋ sabbay se.

¹²Art not thou from everlasting, O Jehovah my God, my Holy One? we shall not die. O Jehovah, thou hast ordained him for judgment; and thou, O Rock, hast established him for correction.

¹³You who have purer eyes than to see evil, and who cannot look on perversity, why do you tolerate those who deal treacherously, and keep silent when the wicked swallows up the man who is more righteous than he,

¹³ Nin wo, ni moy hananyaŋo baa d'i ma laala guna, Ni si hin ka goro ka taali guna. Ifo se no ni goono ga mo daaru ka amaana ŋwaaray guna nda gomni? Ni goono ga dangay waato kaŋ boro laalo ga boro kaŋ bisa nga adilitaray gon.

¹³Thou that art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and that canst not look on perverseness, wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy peace when the wicked swalloweth up the man that is more righteous than he;

¹⁴and make men like the fish of the sea, like the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?

¹⁴ Ni goono ga borey himandi mo sanda teeku hamyaŋ, Sanda hari hamyaŋ kaŋ sinda jine boro.

¹⁴and makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?

¹⁵He takes up all of them with the hook. He catches them in his net, and gathers them in his dragnet. Therefore he rejoices and is glad.

¹⁵ Kaldancey ga du i kulu da darb'ize, I m'i di da ngey bililo, I m'i margu mo ngey taaro ra. Woodin se mo i ga farhã ka te bine kaani.

¹⁵He taketh up all of them with the angle, he catcheth them in his net, and gathereth them in his drag: therefore he rejoiceth and is glad.

¹⁶Therefore he sacrifices to his net, and burns incense to his dragnet, because by them his life is luxurious, and his food is good.

¹⁶ Woodin se no i ga sargay te ngey bililo se, I ma dugu ton mo ngey taaro se, Zama i gaa no i ga du ham boobo, i ŋwaaro mo ga yulwa.

¹⁶Therefore he sacrificeth unto his net, and burneth incense unto his drag; because by them his portion is fat, and his food plenteous.

¹⁷Will he therefore continually empty his net, and kill the nations without mercy?

¹⁷ I ga ngey bililo foobu-foobu no? I ga soobay ka dumey kulu halaci, bakaraw si, wala?

¹⁷Shall he therefore empty his net, and spare not to slay the nations continually?