2  O Lord, how long shall I cry for help,

and you will not hear?

Or cry to you “Violence!”

and you will not save?

3  Why do you make me see iniquity,

and why do you idly look at wrong?

Destruction and violence are before me;

strife and contention arise.

4  So the law is paralyzed,

and justice never goes forth.

For the wicked surround the righteous;

so justice goes forth perverted.

1  I will take my stand at my ^lwatchpost

and station myself on the tower,

and look out to see what he will say to me,

and what I will answer concerning my complaint.

^m“Write the vision;

make it plain on tablets,

so he may run who reads it.

3  For still ⁿthe vision awaits its ^oappointed time;

it hastens to the end—it will not lie.

^pIf it seems slow, wait for it;

^qit will surely come; it will not delay.

4  “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him,

but ^rthe righteous shall live by his faith.¹