The Lord Assures Habakkuk

2  The Lord responded:

“Write down this message! Record it legibly on tablets,

so the one who announces it may read it easily.

3  For the message is a witness to what is decreed;

it gives reliable testimony about how matters will turn out.

Even if the message is not fulfilled right away, wait patiently;

for it will certainly come to pass – it will not arrive late.

4  Look, the one whose desires are not upright will faint from exhaustion,

but the person of integrity will live because of his faithfulness.

5  Indeed, wine will betray the proud, restless man!

His appetite is as big as Sheol’s;

like death, he is never satisfied.

He gathers all the nations;

he seizes all peoples.