Habakkuk 2:9

2:9 The one who builds his house by unjust gain is as good as dead. ¹ 

He does this so he can build his nest way up high

and escape the clutches of disaster. ² 

Habakkuk 2:15

2:15 “You who force your neighbor to drink wine ³  are as good as dead ⁴  –

you who make others intoxicated by forcing them to drink from the bowl of your furious anger, ⁵ 

so you can look at their genitals. ⁶ 

[2:9]  ¹ tn Heb “Woe [to] the one who profits unjustly by evil unjust gain for his house.” On the term הוֹי (hoy) see the note on the word “dead” in v. 6.

[2:9]  ² tn Heb “to place his nest in the heights in order to escape from the hand of disaster.”

[2:15]  ³ tn No direct object is present after “drink” in the Hebrew text. “Wine” is implied, however, and has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[2:15]  ⁴ tn On the term הוֹי (hoy) see the note on the word “dead” in v. 6.

[2:15]  ⁵ tc Heb “pouring out your anger and also making drunk”; or “pouring out your anger and [by] rage making drunk.” The present translation assumes that the final khet (ח) on מְסַפֵּחַ (misapeakh, “pouring”) is dittographic and that the form should actually be read מִסַּף (missaf, “from a bowl”).

[2:15]  ⁶ tn Heb “their nakedness,” a euphemism.