# General Information:

Habakkuk continues speaking to Yahweh about the Chaldeans.

# Your eyes are too pure

Here the word "eyes" represents Yahweh who sees. AT: "You are too pure" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]])

# those who betray

This refers to the Chaldeans. The word "betray" refers to people who have been disloyal or have broken agreements that they have made.

# Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than they are?

Habakkuk speaks of wicked people destroying others as if the wicked were swallowing them. AT: "Why are you silent while the wicked destroy those more righteous than they are?" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# those more righteous than they are

This refers to the Israelites, about whom Habakkuk had been complaining. The reader should understand that these are wicked people, but they are "more righteous than" or not as wicked as the Chaldeans. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-irony]])

# You make men like fish in the sea

Habakkuk compares the way in which the Chaldeans will kill people without remorse with the way in which people will kill fish without remorse. AT: "You cause men to become no more important than fish" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-simile]])

# like creeping things without a ruler over them

The words "creeping things" refer to insects and other bugs that crawl about. Just as insects have no ruler to organize and defend them, the people are defenseless before the Chaldean army. The verb may be supplied from the previous phrase. AT: "you make men as defenseless as insects that have no ruler" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-simile]])

# translationWords

* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/purify]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/evil]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/wrong]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/favor]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/betray]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/righteous]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/ruler]]