Introduction to Habakkuk (Pioneer Bible Translators)

(Pioneer Bible Translators and The Word for the World use the following introduction in many of their translation projects around the world.)

This book contains the prophecy of Habakkuk. The book of Habakkuk is different from many prophetic books because it does not contain a message directed to Israel or Judah. Instead, it contains two complaints and a prayer of Habakkuk. God also answers his complaints. Scholars think that Habakkuk lived during the same time as Jeremiah and during the reigns of King Josiah and King Jehoiakim. Neither the book of Habakkuk nor any other biblical book states when Habakkuk lived.

Habakkuk first complained to God that he saw violence and injustice and that God did not answer Habakkuk’s prayers for help. Habakkuk probably saw these things happening in the nation of Judah. God answered by saying that He was raising the Babylonians to destroy Judah. Then Habakkuk complained that God was using evil people to punish those who were less evil. God responded by saying that even the Babylonians would be judged and punished later. Finally, Habakkuk prays to God to act and show mercy. He praises God for the great things He has done in the past.

Outline:

1. Chapter 1:1-4 contains Habakkuk’s first complaint.
2. In chapter 1:5-11, we read God’s first response.
3. Chapter 1:12-2:1 tells about Habakkuk’s second complaint.
4. Chapter 2:2-20 contains God’s second response.
5. Chapter 3 reports Habakkuk’s prayer to God.

This work is owned by Pioneer Bible Translators International and The World for the World International and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License .

Translation: French

Introduction à Habakuk

Ce livre contient les prophéties d’Habakuk. Le livre d’Habakuk est différent de plusieurs autres livres prophétiques parce qu’il ne contient pas de message destiné à Israël ou à Juda. Plutôt, il contient deux plaintes et une prière d’Habakuk. Aussi, Dieu répond à ses plaintes. Les experts croient qu’Habakuk vivait à la même époque que Jérémie et pendant les règnes du roi Josias et du roi Joachim de Juda. Ni le livre d’Habakuk ni aucun autre livre biblique n’indique quand Habakuk a vécu.

Habakuk s’est plaint à Dieu d’abord que celui-ci voyait la violence et l’injustice mais n’exauçait pas les prières d’Habakuk pour l’aide. Il est probable qu’Habakuk voyait ces choses qui se passaient au royaume de Juda. Dieu a répondu qu’il était en train de soulever les Babyloniens pour détruire Juda. Ensuite, Habakuk s’est plaint que Dieu se servait de gens méchants pour punir des gens moins méchants. Dieu a répondu que même les Babyloniens seraient jugés et punis ultérieurement. Finalement, Habakuk prie que Dieu agisse et fasse preuve de miséricorde. Il loue Dieu pour les bonnes choses qu’il a faites au passé.

Résumé d’Habakuk

1. Le chapitre 1.1-4 contient la première plainte d’Habakuk.
2. Dans le chapitre 1.5-11, nous lisons la première réponse de Dieu.
3. Le chapitre 1.12 à 2.1 parle de la deuxième plainte d’Habakuk.
4. Le chapitre 2.2-20 contient la deuxième réponse de Dieu.
5. Le chapitre 3 rend compte de la prière d’Habakuk à Dieu.

Translation: Swahili

Utangulizi kwa Habakuki

Kitabu hiki kina unabii wa Habakuki. Kitabu cha Habakuki ni tofauti na vitabu vingi vya unabii kwa sababu hakina ujumbe ulioelekezwa kwa Israeli au Yuda. Badala yake, ina malalamiko mawili na sala ya Habakuki. Mungu pia hujibu malalamiko yake. Wasomi wanafikiri kwamba Habakuki aliishi wakati mmoja na Yeremia na wakati wa utawala wa Mfalme Yosia na Mfalme Yehoyakimu. Si kitabu cha Habakuki au kitabu kingine chochote cha kibiblia ambacho kimesema wakati ambao Habakuki aliishi.

Kwanza Habakuki alimlalamikia Mungu kwamba aliona vurugu na udhalimu lakini hakujibu maombi ya Habakuki ya kuomba msaada. Labda Habakuki aliona mambo haya yakitendeka katika taifa la Yuda. Mungu alijibu kwa kusema kwamba alikuwa akiwainua Wababeli wawaangamize Yuda. Kisha Habakuki alilalamika kwamba Mungu alikuwa akitumia watu waovu kuwaadhibu wale ambao walikuwa si waovu sana. Mungu alijibu kwa kusema kwamba hata Wababeli watahukumiwa na kuadhibiwa baadaye. Mwishowe, Habakuki anamwomba Mungu atende na aonyeshe rehema. Anamsifu Mungu kwa mambo makubwa aliyoyafanya huko nyuma.

Muhtasari:

1. Sura ya 1: 1-4 ina malalamiko ya kwanza ya Habakuki.
2. Katika sura ya 1: 5-11, tunasoma majibu ya kwanza ya Mungu.
3. Sura ya 1: 12-2: 1 inaelezea juu ya malalamiko ya pili ya Habakuki.
4. Sura ya 2: 2-20 ina majibu ya pili ya Mungu.
5. Sura ya 3 inaripoti maombi ya Habakuki kwa Mungu.

Introduction to Habakkuk (Christian Community Bible)

(The Catholic Christian Community Bible [first English edition 1997, other translations into Indonesian, Chinese, Cebuano, Chavacano, French, Ilonggo, Korean, Quechuan, Spanish, and Tagalog] “for the Christian Communities of the Third World” uses the following introduction.)

In the Bible the prophet Habakkuk is the first one to dare call God to account. For centuries, faith had been announcing God’s justice. However, this justice had not always been obvious. After many kept silent about their doubts, Habakkuk was the first biblical author who asked boldly: Why does the Lord allow injustice to triumph? Why, when he punishes one oppressor, does he replace him with someone worse?

The answer is twofold:

– The Lord keeps secret how he rules the world and all he asks is that we remain faithful: the upright will live by his faithfulness.
– The prophet contemplates the glory of the Lord who will judge in the end.

Habakkuk spoke his oracles from 605-600, when Nebuchadnezzar, who had just destroyed the cruel Assyria, became very powerful himself and plundered Israel.

Down below are the introductions in the Mandarin Chinese, Tagalog, Cebuano, and Spanish editions.

Translation: Mandarin Chinese

哈巴谷先知是第一个敢要求天主做解释的人。多少世纪以来，信仰一直告诉我们天主是正义的。但是这种正义并不是一直都很明显。

在许多人对自己的怀疑保持缄默之后，哈巴谷是第一个敢于质疑的圣经作者：为什么上主会允许不义的情况如此猖獗？为什么当祂惩罚了压迫者之后，却代之以更糟的人？

答案可从两方面来看：

雅威对统治世界的方式保密，祂只要求我们永远忠诚：义人靠信德生活。

先知期待终将进行审判的上主的光荣。

哈巴谷的预言是在公元前605-600年，那时拿步高刚灭了残暴的亚述，自己正变得非常强大，而且开始蹂躏犹大国。

Translation: Tagalog

Si Propeta Habakuk ang unang nangahas na papanagutin ang Diyos. Maraming dantaon nang ipinangangaral ng pananampalataya na naggagawad nga ng katarungan si Yawe. Pero hindi laging malinaw ang katarungang ito. Matapos ang pagsasawalang-imik ng marami tungkol sa kanilang mga duda, si Habakuk ang unang manunulat sa Biblia na malakas ang loob na nagtatanong: Bakit pinababayaan ni Yawe na magtagumpay ang pang-aapi? Pinarurusahan nga niya ang nang-aapi, pero di ba’t pinapalitan din naman niya ng ibang mas masahol pa?

Doble ang sagot dito:

– Iniingatan ni Yawe ang sekreto ng paraan ng kanyang paghahari sa daigdig at ang hinihingi lamang niya ay manatili tayong tapat: mabubuhay ang matuwid dahil sa kanyang katapatan.
– Pinagmamasdan ng propeta ang Luwalhati ni Yawe na siyang maghuhukom sa katapusan.

Mga taong 605-600 nang bigkasin ni Habakuk ang kanyang mga propesiya habang patuloy na nagiging makapangyarihan si Nabucodonosor at nangungulimbat sa Israel matapos wasakin ang malupit na Asiria.

Translation: Cebuano

Si propeta Habakuk una nga mihagit sa Ginoo sa paghimog husay. Sulod sa nangaging mga siglo, ang pagtoo kanunay nga nagsangyaw sa katarong (hustisya) sa Ginoo. Apan, dili sa tanang panahon nga tin-aw kining maong hustisya. Daghan ang nagpakahilom lang sa ilang pagduhaduha; si Habakuk ang unang magsusulat sa Biblia nga maisogong nangutana: “Ngano nga gitugtan sa Ginoo nga modaog ang inhustisya? Ngano man nga kon silotan niya ang manlulupig, pulihan man og mas grabi pa?”

Duha ang tubag ini:

– Ang Ginoo nagtago sa sikreto sa iyang pamaagi sa pagmando sa kalibotan, ug ang Iya lang gipangayo mao nga magpabilin ta nga matinud-anon niya: ang tarong magpuyo sa kamatinud-anon.
– Ang propeta namalandong sa himaya sa Diyos nga maoy mohukom sa kataposan.

Si Habakuk nagsulti sa mga tubag sa Ginoo sa tuig 605-600, diha nga si Nabucodonosor nga bag-o lang miguba sa Asiria, nag-anam kagamhanan ug nangilog sa Israel.

Translation: Spanish

Desde siglos atrás, la fe proclamaba que Yavé hace justicia. Esta justicia, sin embargo, no siempre es clara. Después de muchos que callaron sus dudas, Habacuq es el primero de los escritores de la Biblia que pregunta con osadía: ¿por qué deja Yavé que triunfe la injusticia?, ¿por qué, al castigar al opresor, lo reemplaza por otro peor?

La respuesta es doble:

— Yavé guarda el secreto de su manera de gobernar al mundo y solamente pide que nos mantengamos fieles: El justo vivirá por su fidelidad.
— El profeta contempla la Gloria de Yavé, que juzgará al final.

Habacuq pronunció sus oráculos en los años 605-600, cuando Nabucodonosor, después de destruir a la cruel Asiria, se volvía prepotente a su vez y saqueaba la tierra de Israel.