refore will he offer victims to his drag, and he will sacrifice
to his net: because through them his portion is made fat, and his meat
dainty.

1:17. For this cause therefore he spreadeth his net, and will not spare
continually to slay the nations.

Habacuc Chapter 2

The prophet is admonished to wait with faith. The enemies of God's
people shall assuredly be punished.

2:1. I will stand upon my watch, and fix my foot upon the tower: and I
will watch, to see what will be said to me, and what I may answer to him
that reproveth me.

Will stand, etc... Waiting to see what the Lord will answer to my
complaint, viz., that the Chaldeans, who are worse than the Jews, and
who attribute all their success to their own strength, or to their
idols, should nevertheless prevail over the people of the Lord. The
Lord's answer is, that the prophet must wait with patience and faith:
that all should be set right in due time; and the enemies of God and his
people punished according to their deserts.

2:2. And the Lord answered me, and said: Write the vision, and make it
plain upon tables: that he that readeth it may run over it.

2:3. For as yet the vision is far off, and it shall appear at the end,
and shall notlie: if it make any delay, wait for it: for it shall surely
come, and it shall not be slack.

2:4. Behold, he that is unbelieving, his soul shall not be right in
himself: but the just shall live in his faith.

2:5. And as wine deceiveth him that drinketh it: so shall the proud man
be, and he shall not be honoured: who hath enlarged his desire like
hell: and is himself like death, and he is never satisfied: but will
gather together unto him all nations, and heap together unto him all
people.

As wine deceiveth, etc... Viz., by affording only a short passing
pleasure; followed by the evils and disgrace that are the usual
consequences of drunkenness; so shall it be with the proud enemies of
the people of God; whose success affordeth them only a momentary
pleasure, followed by innumerable and everlasting evils.

2:6. Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a dark
speech concerning him: and it shall be said: Woe to him that heapeth
together that which is not his own? how long also doth he load himself
with thick clay?

Thick clay... Ill-gotten goods, that, like mire, both burden and defile
the soul.

2:7. Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee: and they be
stirred up that shall tear thee, a