Habacuc 1:4

4 La ley se ha estancado
y no hay justicia en los tribunales.
Los perversos suman más que los justos,
de manera que la justicia se ha corrompido.

Habacuc 1:4 Meaning and Commentary

Habakkuk 1:4

Therefore the law is slacked
Is not put into execution against offenders: the civil magistrates, whose office it is to do justice according to law, are dilatory, and do not proceed with vigour and spirit against the transgressors of it, and in favour of honest and good men oppressed: or "it intermits" ^F18, or is "intermitted"; it is like a man whose pulse beats low, and is scarce perceived, which is a sign that he is not in good health as the body politic is not, when the law, which is the soul of it, is not suffered to take place, and do its office. So the Targum,

``the law languishes;''

loses its force and vigour, and is ready to expire; which is a sad symptom of the bad estate of a commonwealth. And judgment doth never go forth;
at least not right, to the justifying of the righteous, acquitting the innocent, and giving the cause on the right side; condemning the wicked, and punishing offenders as their crime deserves: it never appears as it should do; it is either not done at all, or done badly and perversely: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous;
to hurt him or ensnare him, and by frauds and wicked artifices, and false witnesses, to carry a cause against him: therefore wrong judgment proceedeth;
the cause is given on the wrong side, against a good man, and for a wicked man; all these things the prophet saw with grief, and complained of to the Lord, from whom he has an answer in the following words:

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FOOTNOTES:

F18 (gwpt) "intermittitur", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius, Burkius; (gwp) "est, animi deliquium pati", Tarnovius.

Habacuc 1:4 In-Context

2 Queja de Habacuc
¿Hasta cuándo debo pedir ayuda, oh Señor
?
¡Pero tú no escuchas!
«¡Hay violencia por todas partes!», clamo,
pero tú no vienes a salvar.

3 ¿Tendré siempre que ver estas maldades?
¿Por qué debo mirar tanta miseria?
Dondequiera que mire,
veo destrucción y violencia.
Estoy rodeado de gente
que le encanta discutir y pelear.

4 La ley se ha estancado
y no hay justicia en los tribunales.
Los perversos suman más que los justos,
de manera que la justicia se ha corrompido.

5 Respuesta del Señor
El Señor
respondió:
«Observen las naciones;
¡mírenlas y asómbrense!
Pues estoy haciendo algo en sus propios días,
algo que no creerían
aun si alguien les dijera.

6 Estoy levantando a los babilonios,
un pueblo cruel y violento.
Marcharán por todo el mundo
y conquistarán otras tierras.