Habakkuk 1:4
New International Version
Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.

New Living Translation
The law has become paralyzed, and there is no justice in the courts. The wicked far outnumber the righteous, so that justice has become perverted.

English Standard Version
So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted.

Berean Standard Bible
Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.

King James Bible
Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.

New King James Version
Therefore the law is powerless, And justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore perverse judgment proceeds.

New American Standard Bible
Therefore the Law is ignored, And justice is never upheld. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore justice comes out confused.

NASB 1995
Therefore the law is ignored And justice is never upheld. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore justice comes out perverted.

NASB 1977
Therefore, the law is ignored And justice is never upheld. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore, justice comes out perverted.

Legacy Standard Bible
Therefore the law is ignored, And justice never comes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore justice comes forth perverted.

Amplified Bible
Therefore, the law is ineffective and ignored And justice is never upheld, For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore, justice becomes perverted.

Christian Standard Bible
This is why the law is ineffective and justice never emerges. For the wicked restrict the righteous; therefore, justice comes out perverted.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
This is why the law is ineffective and justice never emerges. For the wicked restrict the righteous; therefore, justice comes out perverted.

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

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Because of this the Law has grown feeble and judgment did not proceed in equity, because the evil did extreme evil to the righteous, and judgment went out when it was perverse

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Therefore the law is frustrated, and judgment proceeds not effectually, for the ungodly man prevails over the just; therefore perverse judgment will proceed.

Contemporary English Version
Laws cannot be enforced; justice is always the loser; criminals crowd out honest people and twist the laws around.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Therefore the law is torn in pieces, and judgment cometh not to the end: because the wicked prevaileth against the just, therefore wrong judgment goeth forth.

English Revised Version
Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore judgment goeth forth perverted.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
That is why your teaching is numbed, and justice is never carried out. Wicked people surround righteous people so that when justice is carried out, it's perverted.

Good News Translation
The law is weak and useless, and justice is never done. Evil people get the better of the righteous, and so justice is perverted.

International Standard Version
Therefore, the Law has become paralyzed, and justice never comes about. Because criminals outnumber the righteous, whenever judgments are issued, they come out crooked."

JPS Tanakh 1917
Therefore the law is slacked, And right doth never go forth; For the wicked doth beset the righteous; Therefore right goeth forth perverted.

Literal Standard Version
Therefore law ceases, | And judgment does not go forth forever, | For the wicked is surrounding the righteous, | Therefore wrong judgment goes forth.

Majority Standard Bible
Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.

New American Bible
This is why the law is numb and justice never comes, For the wicked surround the just; this is why justice comes forth perverted.

NET Bible
For this reason the law lacks power, and justice is never carried out. Indeed, the wicked intimidate the innocent. For this reason justice is perverted.

New Revised Standard Version
So the law becomes slack and justice never prevails. The wicked surround the righteous— therefore judgment comes forth perverted.

New Heart English Bible
Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth; for the wicked surround the righteous; therefore justice goes forth perverted.

Webster's Bible Translation
Therefore the law is slackened, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth encompass the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.

World English Bible
Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails; for the wicked surround the righteous; therefore justice comes out perverted.

Young's Literal Translation
Therefore doth law cease, And judgment doth not go forth for ever, For the wicked is compassing the righteous, Therefore wrong judgment goeth forth.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Habakkuk's Complaint
3Why do You make me see iniquity? Why do You tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me. Strife is ongoing, and conflict abounds. 4Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.

Cross References
Psalm 22:12
Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.

Psalm 58:1
Do you indeed speak justly, O rulers? Do you judge uprightly, O sons of men?

Psalm 58:2
No, in your hearts you devise injustice; with your hands you mete out violence on the earth.

Psalm 119:126
It is time for the LORD to act, for they have broken Your law.

Isaiah 1:21
See how the faithful city has become a harlot! She once was full of justice; righteousness resided within her, but now only murderers!

Isaiah 5:20
Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who turn darkness to light and light to darkness, who replace bitter with sweet and sweet with bitter.

Isaiah 59:12
For our transgressions are multiplied before You, and our sins testify against us. Our transgressions are indeed with us, and we know our iniquities:


Treasury of Scripture

Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment does never go forth: for the wicked does compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceeds.

the law.

Psalm 11:3
If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

Psalm 119:126
It is time for thee, LORD, to work: for they have made void thy law.

Mark 7:9
And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

for.

1 Kings 21:13
And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.

Job 21:7
Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?

Psalm 22:16
For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.

wrong.

Exodus 23:2,6
Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment: …

Deuteronomy 16:19
Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.

Ezekiel 9:9
Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The LORD hath forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not.

Jump to Previous
Beset Circled Compass Decisions Effected Encompass Encompasseth Evil-Doers Feeble Forth Goes Hem Ignored Judgment Justice Law Paralyzed Perverted Powerless Prevails Proceedeth Reason Right Righteous Round Slacked Slackened Surround Twisted Upheld Upright Wicked Wrong
Jump to Next
Beset Circled Compass Decisions Effected Encompass Encompasseth Evil-Doers Feeble Forth Goes Hem Ignored Judgment Justice Law Paralyzed Perverted Powerless Prevails Proceedeth Reason Right Righteous Round Slacked Slackened Surround Twisted Upheld Upright Wicked Wrong
Habakkuk 1
1. Unto Habakkuk, complaining of the iniquity of the land,
5. is shown the fearful vengeance by the Chaldeans.
12. He complains that vengeance should be executed by them who are far worse.














(4) The law--the Mosaic torah--which ought to be a bond of security and social welfare is "slacked" or "paralyzed;" and is, therefore, unable to do its work. "Judgment" (mishpat, i.e., "redress of evils ") "doth never go forth," for the wicked have hemmed the righteous in; and, therefore, there are no judicial sentences, save such as favour the wicked.

Verse 4. - Therefore. Because God has not interfered to put an end to this iniquity, or because of the want of righteous judges, the following consequences ensue. The Law is slacked. The Law. Torah, the revealed code which governed the moral, domestic, and political life, "is chilled," is benumbed (Genesis 45:26), is no longer of any force or efficacy, is become a dead letter. Διασκέδασται "is dispersed" (Septuagint); lacerata est (Vulgate). Judgment doth never go forth; i.e. right is powerless, as if it had never been; justice never shows itself in such a case. Septuagint, οὐ διεξάγεται εἰς τέλος, "proceedeth not effectually; ' so the Vulgate. The rendering, "goeth not forth unto victory," given by the Syriac, is not so suitable; "unto truth" is a mistake arising from referring the word to a wrong root. Doth compass about. In a hostile sense, with threats and treachery (Judges 20:43; Psalm 22:13). Septuagint, καταδυναστεύει, "prevails;" Vulgate, praevalet adversus. Therefore. Because the righteous are unable to act as they desire, being opposed by the wicked. Wrong judgment proceedeth; rather, judgment goeth forth perverted. Eight, or what is so called, when it does come forth, is distorted, wrested, so as to be right no more.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Therefore
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the law
תּוֹרָ֔ה (tō·w·rāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8451: Direction, instruction, law

is paralyzed,
תָּפ֣וּג (tā·p̄ūḡ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 6313: To be sluggish

and justice
מִשְׁפָּ֑ט (miš·pāṭ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4941: A verdict, a sentence, formal decree, divine law, penalty, justice, privilege, style

never
וְלֹֽא־ (wə·lō-)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

goes forth.
יֵצֵ֥א (yê·ṣê)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

For
כִּ֤י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

the wicked
רָשָׁע֙ (rā·šā‘)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7563: Wrong, an, bad person

hem in
מַכְתִּ֣יר (maḵ·tîr)
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3803: To enclose, to crown, to besiege, to wait

the righteous;
הַצַּדִּ֔יק (haṣ·ṣad·dîq)
Article | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 6662: Just, righteous

therefore,
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

justice
מִשְׁפָּ֖ט (miš·pāṭ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4941: A verdict, a sentence, formal decree, divine law, penalty, justice, privilege, style

is
יֵצֵ֥א (yê·ṣê)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

perverted.
מְעֻקָּֽל׃ (mə·‘uq·qāl)
Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 6127: To bend, twist


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OT Prophets: Habakkuk 1:4 Therefore the law is paralyzed and justice (Hab Hb)
Habakkuk 1:3
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