3 Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention.
(Ver. 3, 4.) And judgment and contradiction become more powerful: therefore the law is torn apart and judgment does not reach its end: because the wicked prevail against the just, therefore a perverse judgment proceeds. LXX: Judgment has been made against me, and the judge accepts it: therefore the law is torn apart and judgment does not reach its end: because the wicked prevail against the just, therefore a perverse judgment proceeds. Still, the prophet or the people speak to the Lord, because they were judged not by truth but by power, and they did not receive any support from the law and righteousness. Therefore, their judgment had no end. However, the purpose of judgment is to judge fairly. And why they dare to speak, they explain in the following, saying: Because the wicked Nebuchadnezzar prevailed against the just Judah (2 Kings 22), and this is the reason why they say judgment has not reached its end; because it is unjust and perverse for the righteous King Josiah to be killed by the Egyptian king (2 Kings 23); for Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah to serve (Daniel 3); and for the Babylonian emperor to command and for Belshazzar to drink from the vessels of God among his prostitutes and concubines (Daniel 5). This prophet is speaking about the condition of his time (we are following because you wanted an account of history as well). Moreover, according to the Septuagint, it is a common complaint of the saints to God that an unjust judgment is rendered against them and innocent blood is shed in persecutions. And sometimes, when they stand before the secular tribunal, the judge, after receiving bribes, condemns the innocent and sets the guilty free. This can be said not only of judges of the world, but sometimes also of the leaders of the Church, who, because of bribes, disregard the law and do not bring a trial to completion, allowing the wicked to prevail against the righteous. And in the judgment, the sin of the rich is more powerful than the truth of the poor. Where there is complaint, judgment becomes perverted: but we ought not to be disturbed by this inequality of things, seeing in the beginning of the world the impious Cain slew the just Abel (Gen. IV), and afterwards Jacob, being an exile, reigned in his father's house over Esau (Gen. XXVIII), and the Egyptians afflicted the children of Israel with mud and bricks, and the Lord against whom the complaint is now directed, is crucified by the Jews (John. XIX), and the robber Barabbas is chosen (John. XVIII). This day will fail me if I want to enumerate how in this age, with the wicked prevailing, the righteous are oppressed.
[AD 420] Jerome on Habakkuk 1:3-4