Job 24
1 Hvorfor har ej den Almægtige opsparet Tider, hvi faar de, som kender ham, ikke hans Dage at se?
“Why aren’t times laid up by the Almighty? Why don’t those who know him see his days?
2 De onde flytter Markskel, ranede Hjorde har de paa Græs.
There are people who remove the landmarks. They violently take away flocks, and feed them.
3 faderløses Æsel fører de bort, tager Enkens Okse som Borgen:
They drive away the donkey of the fatherless, and they take the widow’s ox for a pledge.
4 de trænger de fattige af Vejen. Landets arme maa alle skjule sig.
They turn the needy out of the way. The poor of the earth all hide themselves.
5 Som vilde Æsler i Ørkenen gaar de ud til deres Gerning søgende efter Næring; Steppen er Brød for Børnene.
Behold, as wild donkeys in the desert, they go out to their work, seeking diligently for food. The wilderness yields them bread for their children.
6 De høster paa Marken om Natten, i Rigmandens Vingaard sanker de efter.
They cut their food in the field. They glean the vineyard of the wicked.
7 Om Natten ligger de nøgne, uden Klæder, uden Tæppe i Kulden.
They lie all night naked without clothing, and have no covering in the cold.
8 De vædes af Bjergenes Regnskyl, klamrer sig af Mangel paa Ly til Klippen.
They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for lack of a shelter.
9 — Man river den faderløse fra Brystet, tager den armes Barn som Borgen. —
There are those who pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor,
10 Nøgne vandrer de, uden Klæder, sultne bærer de Neg;
so that they go around naked without clothing. Being hungry, they carry the sheaves.
11 mellem Murene presser de Olie, de træder Persen og tørster.
They make oil within the walls of these men. They tread wine presses, and suffer thirst.
12 De drives fra By og Hus, og Børnenes Hunger skriger. Men Gud, han ænser ej vrangt.
From out of the populous city, men groan. The soul of the wounded cries out, yet God doesn’t regard the folly.
13 Andre hører til Lysets Fjender, de kender ikke hans Veje og holder sig ej paa hans Stier:
“These are of those who rebel against the light. They don’t know its ways, nor stay in its paths.
14 Før det lysner, staar Morderen op, han myrder arm og fattig; om Natten sniger Tyven sig om;
The murderer rises with the light. He kills the poor and needy. In the night he is like a thief.
15 Horkarlens Øje lurer paa Skumring, han tænker: »Intet Øje kan se mig!« og skjuler sit Ansigt under en Maske.
The eye also of the adulterer waits for the twilight, saying, ‘No eye will see me.’ He disguises his face.
16 I Mørke bryder de ind i Huse, de lukker sig inde om Dagen, thi ingen af dem vil vide af Lys.
In the dark they dig through houses. They shut themselves up in the daytime. They don’t know the light.
17 For dem er Mørket Morgen, thi de er kendt med Mørkets Rædsler.
For the morning is to all of them like thick darkness, for they know the terrors of the thick darkness.
18 Over Vandfladen jages han hen, hans Arvelod i Landet forbandes, han færdes ikke paa Vejen til Vingaarden.
“They are foam on the surface of the waters. Their portion is cursed in the earth. They don’t turn into the way of the vineyards.
Drought and heat consume the snow waters, so does Sheol those who have sinned. (Sheol h7585)
20 Han er glemt paa sin Hjemstavns Torv, hans Storhed kommes ej mer i Hu, Uretten knækkes som Træet.
The womb will forget him. The worm will feed sweetly on him. He will be no more remembered. Unrighteousness will be broken as a tree.
21 Han var ond mod den golde, der ikke fødte, mod Enken gjorde han ikke vel;
He devours the barren who don’t bear. He shows no kindness to the widow.
22 dem, det gik skævt, rev han bort i sin Vælde. Han staar op og er ikke tryg paa sit Liv,
Yet God preserves the mighty by his power. He rises up who has no assurance of life.
23 han styrtes uden Haab og Støtte, og paa hans Veje er idel Nød.
God gives them security, and they rest in it. His eyes are on their ways.
24 Hans Storhed er stakket, saa er han ej mer, han bøjes og skrumper ind som Melde og skæres af som Aksenes Top.
They are exalted; yet a little while, and they are gone. Yes, they are brought low, they are taken out of the way as all others, and are cut off as the tops of the ears of grain.
25 Og hvis ikke — hvo gør mig til Løgner, hvo gør mine Ord til intet?
If it isn’t so now, who will prove me a liar, and make my speech worth nothing?”
