After telling the prophet how to record and spread his message in verse 2, the LORD now adds a warning to him to be patient in looking for the fulfillment of it.

For indicates the relationship between this verse and the previous one. The message is to be written down because the time of its fulfillment has not yet come. Good News Translation makes this explicit by saying “Put it in writing, because….” In some languages this first clause may be expressed as “You must write this message down, because….”

The reason is stated in Revised Standard Version as still the vision awaits its time (better, “appointed time,” as in Revised Version, New International Version). Good News Translation expresses this much more clearly as “it is not yet time for it to come true.” Despite this the LORD reassures Habakkuk that the vision hastens to the end—it will not lie. The Hebrew word translated hastens can mean “to puff or pant.” Thus New English Bible translates “it will come in breathless haste.” Good News Translation gives the meaning less vividly but more simply as “But the time is coming quickly, and what I show you will come true.” Note that here the negative statement will not lie is expressed in positive form as “will come true.” It may be helpful to some translators to follow this example.

The second half of the verse deals with impatience, the natural human reaction to delay: If it seem slow, wait for it. Good News Translation has “It may seem slow in coming, but wait for it.” The word translated “wait” has overtones of hope, which are strengthened by the context here. Some languages cannot speak about “messages” or “words” coming in the sense of “happening.” In such a case it may be better to translate “It may be slow in happening (or occurring, or coming to pass)” or “These things may be slow to happen (or, occur).”

The last line of the verse in effect repeats the assurance given in the second line: it will surely come, it will not delay. Jerusalem Bible expresses this as “come it will, without fail.” The word translated delay in Revised Standard Version has the idea of being late, and so some versions say “it will not be late” (Moffatt, New American Bible). This may be a useful example for some translators to follow.

The last line of the verse is quoted in Hebrews 10.37, using the Septuagint translation.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• You must write down the things that I am showing to you, because it is not yet time for them to happen (or, come true). But the time is coming quickly when the things that I am showing to you will happen. Even though these things seem slow in happening, you must wait for them. They will certainly take place (or, occur) and will not be late.

Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on the Book of Habakkuk. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1989. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .