Job 24
1 Why are times not stored up by the Ruler of all, and why do those who have knowledge of him not see his days?
WHY, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that know him not see his days?
2 The landmarks are changed by evil men, they violently take away flocks, together with their keepers.
Some remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks, and feed thereof.
3 They send away the ass of him who has no father, they take the widow's ox for debt.
They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow’s ox for a pledge.
4 The crushed are turned out of the way; all the poor of the earth go into a secret place together.
They turn the needy out of the way: the poor of the earth hide themselves together.
5 Like asses in the waste land they go out to their work, looking for food with care; from the waste land they get bread for their children.
Behold, as wild asses in the desert, go they forth to their work; rising betimes for a prey: the wilderness yieldeth food for them and for their children.
6 They get mixed grain from the field, and they take away the late fruit from the vines of those who have wealth.
They reap every one his corn in the field: and they gather the vintage of the wicked.
7 They take their rest at night without clothing, and have no cover in the cold.
They cause the naked to lodge without clothing, that they have no covering in the cold.
8 They are wet with the rain of the mountains, and get into the cracks of the rock for cover.
They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter.
9 The child without a father is forced from its mother's breast, and they take the young children of the poor for debt.
They pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor.
10 Others go about without clothing, and though they have no food, they get in the grain from the fields.
They cause him to go naked without clothing, and they take away the sheaf from the hungry;
11 Between the lines of olive-trees they make oil; though they have no drink, they are crushing out the grapes.
Which make oil within their walls, and tread their winepresses, and suffer thirst.
12 From the town come sounds of pain from those who are near death, and the soul of the wounded is crying out for help; but God does not take note of their prayer.
Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded crieth out: yet God layeth not folly to them.
13 Then there are those who are haters of the light, who have no knowledge of its ways, and do not go in them.
They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof.
14 He who is purposing death gets up before day, so that he may put to death the poor and those in need.
The murderer rising with the light killeth the poor and needy, and in the night is as a thief.
15 And the man whose desire is for the wife of another is waiting for the evening, saying, No eye will see me; and he puts a cover on his face. And in the night the thief goes about;
The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth his face.
16 In the dark he makes holes in the walls of houses: in the daytime they are shutting themselves up, they have no knowledge of the light.
In the dark they dig through houses, which they had marked for themselves in the daytime: they know not the light.
17 For the middle of the night is as morning to them, they are not troubled by the fear of the dark.
For the morning is to them even as the shadow of death: if one know them, they are in the terrors of the shadow of death.
18 They go quickly on the face of the waters; their heritage is cursed in the earth; the steps of the crusher of grapes are not turned to their vine-garden.
He is swift as the waters; their portion is cursed in the earth: he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards.
Drought and heat consume the snow waters: so doth the grave those which have sinned. (Sheol h7585)
20 The public place of his town has no more knowledge of him, and his name has gone from the memory of men: he is rooted up like a dead tree.
The womb shall forget him; the worm shall feed sweetly on him; he shall be no more remembered; and wickedness shall be broken as a tree.
21 He is not kind to the widow, and he has no pity for her child.
He evil entreateth the barren that beareth not: and doeth not good to the widow.
22 But God by his power gives long life to the strong; he gets up again, though he has no hope of life.
He draweth also the mighty with his power: he riseth up, and no man is sure of life.
23 He takes away his fear of danger and gives him support; and his eyes are on his ways.
Though it be given him to be in safety, whereon he resteth; yet his eyes are upon their ways.
24 For a short time they are lifted up; then they are gone; they are made low, they are pulled off like fruit, and like the heads of grain they are cut off.
They are exalted for a little while, but are gone and brought low; they are taken out of the way as all other, and cut off as the tops of the ears of corn.
25 And if it is not so, now, who will make it clear that my words are false, and that what I say is of no value?
And if it be not so now, who will make me a liar, and make my speech nothing worth?
