Habakkuk - Chapter 3

Translation and Transliteration of

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1A prayer of the Navi Chavakuk. In the mode of Shigionoth.

אתְּפִלָּה לַחֲבַקּוּק הַנָּבִיא עַל שִׁגְיֹנוֹת׃

2O Hashem! I have learned of Your renown; I am awed, Hashem, by Your deeds. Renew them in these years, Oh, make them known in these years! Though angry, may You remember compassion.

ביְהֹוָה שָׁמַעְתִּי שִׁמְעֲךָ יָרֵאתִי יְהֹוָה פָּעָלְךָ בְּקֶרֶב שָׁנִים חַיֵּיהוּ בְּקֶרֶב שָׁנִים תּוֹדִיעַ בְּרֹגֶז רַחֵם תִּזְכּוֹר׃

3Hashem is coming from Teman, The Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah. His majesty covers the skies, His splendor fills the earth:

גאֱלוֹהַ מִתֵּימָן יָבוֹא וְקָדוֹשׁ מֵהַר־פָּארָן סֶלָה כִּסָּה שָׁמַיִם הוֹדוֹ וּתְהִלָּתוֹ מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ׃

4It is a brilliant light Which gives off rays on every side— And therein His glory is enveloped.

v'-NO-gah ka-OR tih-YEH kar-NA-yim mi-ya-DO LO v'-SHAM khev-YON u-ZOH

דוְנֹגַהּ כָּאוֹר תִּהְיֶה קַרְנַיִם מִיָּדוֹ לוֹ וְשָׁם חֶבְיוֹן עֻזֹּה׃

3:4 It is a brilliant light

The Hebrew word for ‘light’, ohr (אור), is very similar to the word for ‘awaken’, ayr (ער). According to Rabbi Michael Munk in his book The Wisdom in the Hebrew Alphabet, this teaches that light is the element that “awakens” creation to development. Just as physical light stimulates the growth of plants, spiritual and intellectual light prods man to achieve his potential.

5Pestilence marches before Him, And plague comes forth at His heels.

הלְפָנָיו יֵלֶךְ דָּבֶר וְיֵצֵא רֶשֶׁף לְרַגְלָיו׃

6When He stands, He makes the earth shake; When He glances, He makes nations tremble. The age-old mountains are shattered, The primeval hills sink low. His are the ancient routes:

ועָמַד וַיְמֹדֶד אֶרֶץ רָאָה וַיַּתֵּר גּוֹיִם וַיִּתְפֹּצְצוּ הַרְרֵי־עַד שַׁחוּ גִּבְעוֹת עוֹלָם הֲלִיכוֹת עוֹלָם לוֹ׃

7As a scene of havoc I behold The tents of Cushan; Shaken are the pavilions Of the land of Midian!

זתַּחַת אָוֶן רָאִיתִי אָהֳלֵי כוּשָׁן יִרְגְּזוּן יְרִיעוֹת אֶרֶץ מִדְיָן׃

8Are You wroth, Hashem, with Neharim? Is Your anger against Neharim, Your rage against Yam— That You are driving Your steeds, Your victorious chariot?

חהֲבִנְהָרִים חָרָה יְהֹוָה אִם בַּנְּהָרִים אַפֶּךָ אִם־בַּיָּם עֶבְרָתֶךָ כִּי תִרְכַּב עַל־סוּסֶיךָ מַרְכְּבֹתֶיךָ יְשׁוּעָה׃

9All bared and ready is Your bow. Sworn are the rods of the word. Selah. You make the earth burst into streams,

טעֶרְיָה תֵעוֹר קַשְׁתֶּךָ שְׁבֻעוֹת מַטּוֹת אֹמֶר סֶלָה נְהָרוֹת תְּבַקַּע־אָרֶץ׃

10The mountains rock at the sight of You, A torrent of rain comes down; Loud roars the deep, The sky returns the echo.

ירָאוּךָ יָחִילוּ הָרִים זֶרֶם מַיִם עָבָר נָתַן תְּהוֹם קוֹלוֹ רוֹם יָדֵיהוּ נָשָׂא׃

11Sun [and] moon stand still on high As Your arrows fly in brightness, Your flashing spear in brilliance.

יאשֶׁמֶשׁ יָרֵחַ עָמַד זְבֻלָה לְאוֹר חִצֶּיךָ יְהַלֵּכוּ לְנֹגַהּ בְּרַק חֲנִיתֶךָ׃

12You tread the earth in rage, You trample nations in fury.

יבבְּזַעַם תִּצְעַד־אָרֶץ בְּאַף תָּדוּשׁ גּוֹיִם׃

13You have come forth to deliver Your people, To deliver Your anointed. You will smash the roof of the villain's house, Raze it from foundation to top. Selah.

יגיָצָאתָ לְיֵשַׁע עַמֶּךָ לְיֵשַׁע אֶת־מְשִׁיחֶךָ מָחַצְתָּ רֹּאשׁ מִבֵּית רָשָׁע עָרוֹת יְסוֹד עַד־צַוָּאר סֶלָה׃

14You will crack [his] skull with Your bludgeon; Blown away shall be his warriors, Whose delight is to crush me suddenly, To devour a poor man in an ambush.

ידנָקַבְתָּ בְמַטָּיו רֹאשׁ פרזו [פְּרָזָיו] יִסְעֲרוּ לַהֲפִיצֵנִי עֲלִיצֻתָם כְּמוֹ־לֶאֱכֹל עָנִי בַּמִּסְתָּר׃

15You will make Your steeds tread the sea, Stirring the mighty waters.

טודָּרַכְתָּ בַיָּם סוּסֶיךָ חֹמֶר מַיִם רַבִּים׃

16I heard and my bowels quaked, My lips quivered at the sound; Rot entered into my bone, I trembled where I stood. Yet I wait calmly for the day of distress, For a people to come to attack us.

טזשָׁמַעְתִּי וַתִּרְגַּז בִּטְנִי לְקוֹל צָלֲלוּ שְׂפָתַי יָבוֹא רָקָב בַּעֲצָמַי וְתַחְתַּי אֶרְגָּז אֲשֶׁר אָנוּחַ לְיוֹם צָרָה לַעֲלוֹת לְעַם יְגוּדֶנּוּ׃

17Though the fig tree does not bud And no yield is on the vine, Though the olive crop has failed And the fields produce no grain, Though sheep have vanished from the fold And no cattle are in the pen,

יזכִּי־תְאֵנָה לֹא־תִפְרָח וְאֵין יְבוּל בַּגְּפָנִים כִּחֵשׁ מַעֲשֵׂה־זַיִת וּשְׁדֵמוֹת לֹא־עָשָׂה אֹכֶל גָּזַר מִמִּכְלָה צֹאן וְאֵין בָּקָר בָּרְפָתִים׃

18Yet will I rejoice in Hashem, Exult in the God who delivers me.

יחוַאֲנִי בַּיהֹוָה אֶעְלוֹזָה אָגִילָה בֵּאלֹהֵי יִשְׁעִי׃

19My Hashem is my strength: He makes my feet like the deer's And lets me stride upon the heights. For the leader; with instrumental music.

יטיְהוִהּ אֲדֹנָי חֵילִי וַיָּשֶׂם רַגְלַי כָּאַיָּלוֹת וְעַל בָּמוֹתַי יַדְרִכֵנִי לַמְנַצֵּחַ בִּנְגִינוֹתָי׃