Sunday 15 November 2015

Habakkuk 2 - three famous lines and more ultra-violence

Make sense of it as you will. 15 of 17 words in verse 8 recur in subsequent verses, many of them of course in verse 17 where a large part of the verse is repeated. Who is the subject of verse 5 (or subjects) I cannot tell. Perhaps the 'being' of vs 4 is still the Chaldeans of the prior chapter and the subject of vs 5 continues their description. Here is a critical commentary that is useful.

Habakkuk 2 Fn Min Max Syll
עַל־מִשְׁמַרְתִּ֣י אֶעֱמֹ֔דָה וְאֶֽתְיַצְּבָ֖ה עַל־מָצ֑וֹר
וַאֲצַפֶּ֗ה לִרְאוֹת֙ מַה־יְדַבֶּר־בִּ֔י וּמָ֥ה אָשִׁ֖יב עַל־תּוֹכַחְתִּֽי
1 On my watch I will stand and I will station myself ֹon the fortification.
And I will be on lookout to see what he will speak in me and what I will bring back concerning my correction.
3e 4B 15
19
וַיַּעֲנֵ֤נִי יְהוָה֙ וַיֹּ֔אמֶר כְּת֣וֹב חָז֔וֹן וּבָאֵ֖ר עַל־הַלֻּח֑וֹת
לְמַ֥עַן יָר֖וּץ ק֥וֹרֵא בֽוֹ
2 And Yahweh answered me and he said, Write the vision and make it precise on the tablets,
so that one who races may proclaim it.
3e 4C 21
8
כִּ֣י ע֤וֹד חָזוֹן֙ לַמּוֹעֵ֔ד וְיָפֵ֥חַ לַקֵּ֖ץ וְלֹ֣א יְכַזֵּ֑ב
אִם־יִתְמַהְמָהּ֙ חַכֵּה־ל֔וֹ כִּֽי־בֹ֥א יָבֹ֖א לֹ֥א יְאַחֵֽר
3 B For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but it will respire in the end and not lie.
If it lingers, tarry for it, for coming it will come. It will not delay.
3e 4C 18
14
הִנֵּ֣ה עֻפְּלָ֔ה לֹא־יָשְׁרָ֥ה נַפְשׁ֖וֹ בּ֑וֹ
וְצַדִּ֖יק בֶּאֱמוּנָת֥וֹ יִחְיֶֽה
4 Behold inflated, not upright, is his being within him,
but the righteous one in his faithfulness will live.
3e 4B 10
10
וְאַף֙ כִּֽי־הַיַּ֣יִן בּוֹגֵ֔ד גֶּ֥בֶר יָהִ֖יר וְלֹ֣א יִנְוֶ֑ה
אֲשֶׁר֩ הִרְחִ֨יב כִּשְׁא֜וֹל נַפְשׁ֗וֹ וְה֤וּא כַמָּ֙וֶת֙ וְלֹ֣א יִשְׂבָּ֔ע וַיֶּאֱסֹ֤ף אֵלָיו֙ כָּל־הַגּוֹיִ֔ם וַיִּקְבֹּ֥ץ אֵלָ֖יו כָּל־הָעַמִּֽים
5 And also because the wine is treacherous with an overweening valour and not at home,
who enlarged its throat as Sheol, and this is as death, and will not be satisfied, but gathers to itself all the nations and collects to itself all the peoples.
3e 4C 14
36
הֲלוֹא־אֵ֣לֶּה כֻלָּ֗ם עָלָיו֙ מָשָׁ֣ל יִשָּׂ֔אוּ וּמְלִיצָ֖ה חִיד֣וֹת ל֑וֹ
וְיֹאמַ֗ר ה֚וֹי הַמַּרְבֶּ֣ה לֹּא־ל֔וֹ עַד־מָתַ֕י וּמַכְבִּ֥יד עָלָ֖יו עַבְטִֽיט
6 Will not these, all of them, against him lift up a parable and its insinuating riddles for him,
and say, Alas for the one who increases what is not theirs (how long?) or glorifies for himself collateral debt.
3e 4C 19
19
הֲל֣וֹא פֶ֗תַע יָק֙וּמוּ֙ נֹשְׁכֶ֔יךָ וְיִקְצ֖וּ מְזַעְזְעֶ֑יךָ
וְהָיִ֥יתָ לִמְשִׁסּ֖וֹת לָֽמוֹ
7 B Will they not suddenly arise to take interest in you and awaken to unnerve you?
And you will be booty for them.
3e 4B 18
9
כִּֽי אַתָּ֤ה שַׁלּ֙וֹתָ֙ גּוֹיִ֣ם רַבִּ֔ים יְשָׁלּ֖וּךָ כָּל־יֶ֣תֶר עַמִּ֑ים
מִדְּמֵ֤י אָדָם֙ וַחֲמַס־אֶ֔רֶץ קִרְיָ֖ה וְכָל־יֹ֥שְׁבֵי בָֽהּ
8 Because you have spoiled nations, many will spoil you, all that remains of the peoples,
out of the blood of humanity and the violence of earth, town, and all her inhabitants.
3e 4C 19
16
ה֗וֹי בֹּצֵ֛עַ בֶּ֥צַע רָ֖ע לְבֵית֑וֹ
לָשׂ֤וּם בַּמָּרוֹם֙ קִנּ֔וֹ לְהִנָּצֵ֖ל מִכַּף־רָֽע
9 ~ Alas, who seeks gain, gains evil for his house.
To set up his nest on high, to be delivered from the palm of evil,
3d 4C 11
14
יָעַ֥צְתָּ בֹּ֖שֶׁת לְבֵיתֶ֑ךָ
קְצוֹת־עַמִּ֥ים רַבִּ֖ים וְחוֹטֵ֥א נַפְשֶֽׁךָ
10 is to advise shame for your house,
short-changing many peoples and sinning against your being.
3e 4A 9
12
כִּי־אֶ֖בֶן מִקִּ֣יר תִּזְעָ֑ק
וְכָפִ֖יס מֵעֵ֥ץ יַעֲנֶֽנָּה
11 For stone from the house wall will appeal,
and knot from the timber will answer it.
3e 4B 6
9
ה֛וֹי בֹּנֶ֥ה עִ֖יר בְּדָמִ֑ים
וְכוֹנֵ֥ן קִרְיָ֖ה בְּעַוְלָֽה
12 d Alas for one who builds a city with blood,
and establishes a town with injustice.
3d 4A 8
8
הֲל֣וֹא הִנֵּ֔ה מֵאֵ֖ת יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֑וֹת
וְיִֽיגְע֤וּ עַמִּים֙ בְּדֵי־אֵ֔שׁ וּלְאֻמִּ֖ים בְּדֵי־רִ֥יק יִעָֽפוּ
13 B Is it not, behold, from Yahweh of hosts,
that peoples labour with enough fire, and tribes with enough empty effort.
3e 4C 11
17
כִּ֚י תִּמָּלֵ֣א הָאָ֔רֶץ לָדַ֖עַת אֶת־כְּב֣וֹד יְהוָ֑ה
כַּמַּ֖יִם יְכַסּ֥וּ עַל־יָֽם
14 C For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Yahweh,
as waters cover over the sea.
3e 4C 15
7
ה֚וֹי מַשְׁקֵ֣ה רֵעֵ֔הוּ מְסַפֵּ֥חַ חֲמָתְךָ֖ וְאַ֣ף שַׁכֵּ֑ר
לְמַ֥עַן הַבִּ֖יט עַל־מְעוֹרֵיהֶֽם
15 C Alas for one who gives drink to his friend, the lesion of your poison and also strong drink,
so that you may take note of their nudity.
3e 4C 18
10
שָׂבַ֤עְתָּ קָלוֹן֙ מִכָּב֔וֹד שְׁתֵ֥ה גַם־אַ֖תָּה וְהֵֽעָרֵ֑ל
תִּסּ֣וֹב עָלֶ֗יךָ כּ֚וֹס יְמִ֣ין יְהוָ֔ה וְקִיקָל֖וֹן עַל־כְּבוֹדֶֽךָ
16 You are sated with disgrace from the glory of imbibing, even you and foreskin exposed.
Round about you is the cup of the right hand of Yahweh, and multiple disgrace over your glory.
3e 4C 17
19
כִּ֣י חֲמַ֤ס לְבָנוֹן֙ יְכַסֶּ֔ךָּ וְשֹׁ֥ד בְּהֵמ֖וֹת יְחִיתַ֑ן
מִדְּמֵ֤י אָדָם֙ וַחֲמַס־אֶ֔רֶץ קִרְיָ֖ה וְכָל־יֹ֥שְׁבֵי בָֽהּ
17 B Because the violence of Lebanon will cover you, and the devastation of beasts that dismayed them,
the blood of humanity, and the violence of earth, town, and all her inhabitants.
3e 4C 18
16
מָֽה־הוֹעִ֣יל פֶּ֗סֶל כִּ֤י פְסָלוֹ֙ יֹֽצְר֔וֹ מַסֵּכָ֖ה וּמ֣וֹרֶה שָּׁ֑קֶר
כִּ֣י בָטַ֞ח יֹצֵ֤ר יִצְרוֹ֙ עָלָ֔יו לַעֲשׂ֖וֹת אֱלִילִ֥ים אִלְּמִֽים
18 What is the use of a graven image that the fashioner embossed, libation and instructor of falsehood,
that the fashioner trusted in his fashioning it, to construct dumb good-for-nothings.
3e 4C 19
17
ה֣וֹי אֹמֵ֤ר לָעֵץ֙ הָקִ֔יצָה ע֖וּרִי לְאֶ֣בֶן דּוּמָ֑ם
ה֣וּא יוֹרֶ֔ה הִנֵּה־ה֗וּא תָּפוּשׂ֙ זָהָ֣ב וָכֶ֔סֶף וְכָל־ר֖וּחַ אֵ֥ין בְּקִרְבּֽוֹ
19 B Alas for one who says to a tree, Awaken, be roused, to a mute stone, This will instruct.
Behold, this is arresting in gold and silver, but there is no spirit at all within it.
3e 4C 16
21
וַֽיהוָ֖ה בְּהֵיכַ֣ל קָדְשׁ֑וֹ
הַ֥ס מִפָּנָ֖יו כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ
20 But Yahweh is in his holy temple.
Let all the earth be hushed before him.
3e 4B 7
8


No comments:

Post a Comment