Job 24
1 But why have the seasons been hidden from the Lord,
“For this reason from the Mighty One Times have not been hidden, And those knowing Him have not seen His days.
2 while the ungodly have passed over the bound, carrying off the flock with the shepherd?
They reach the borders, They have taken a drove away violently, Indeed, they do evil.
3 They have led away, the ass of the fatherless, and taken the widow's ox for a pledge.
They lead away the donkey of the fatherless, They take in pledge the ox of the widow,
4 They have turned aside the weak from the right way: and the meek of the earth have hidden themselves together.
They turn aside the needy from the way, Together have hid the poor of the earth.
5 And they have departed like asses in the field, having gone forth on my account according to their own order: his bread is sweet to [his] little ones.
Behold, wild donkeys in a wilderness, They have gone out about their work, Seeking early for prey, A mixture for himself—food for young ones.
6 They have reaped a field that was not their own before the time: the poor have laboured in the vineyards of the ungodly without pay and without food.
They reap his provender in a field, And they glean the vineyard of the wicked.
7 They have caused many naked to sleep without clothes, and they have taken away the covering of their body.
They cause the naked to lodge without clothing. And there is no covering in the cold.
8 They are wet with the drops of the mountains: they have embraced the rock, because they had no shelter.
From the inundation of hills they are wet, And without a refuge—have embraced a rock.
9 They have snatched the fatherless from the breast, and have afflicted the outcast.
They take away violently The orphan from the breast, And they lay a pledge on the poor.
10 And they have wrongfully caused [others] to sleep without clothing, and taken away the morsel of the hungry.
Naked, they have gone without clothing, And hungry—have taken away a sheaf.
11 They have unrighteously laid wait in narrow places, and have not known the righteous way.
They make oil between their walls, They have trodden winepresses, and thirst.
12 Who have cast forth [the] poor from the city and their own houses, and the soul of the children has groaned aloud.
Men groan because of enmity, And the soul of pierced ones cries, And God does not give praise.
13 Why then has he not visited these? forasmuch as they were upon the earth, and took no notice, and they knew not the way of righteousness, neither have they walked in their [appointed] paths?
They have been those rebelling against light, They have not discerned His ways, Nor abided in His paths.
14 But having known their works, he delivered them into darkness: and in the night one will be as a thief:
The murderer rises at the light, He slays the poor and needy, And in the night he is as a thief.
15 and the eye of the adulterer has watched [for] the darkness, saying, Eye shall not perceive me, and he puts a covering on his face.
And the eye of an adulterer Has observed the twilight, Saying, No eye beholds me. And he puts the face in secret.
16 In darkness he digs through houses: by day they conceal themselves securely: they know not the light.
He has dug in the darkness—houses; By day they shut themselves up, They have not known light.
17 For the morning is to them all [as] the shadow of death, for [each] will be conscious of the terror of the shadow of death.
When together, morning [is] death-shade to them, When he discerns the terrors of death-shade.
18 He is swift on the face of the water: let his portion be cursed on the earth; and let their plants be laid bare.
He [is] light on the face of the waters, Their portion is vilified in the earth, He does not turn the way of vineyards.
19 [Let them be] withered upon the earth; for they have plundered the sheaves of the fatherless. (Sheol h7585)
Drought—also heat—consume snow-waters, Sheol—[those who] have sinned. (Sheol h7585)
20 Then is his sin brought to remembrance, and he vanishes like a vapour of dew: but let what he has done be recompensed to him, and let every unrighteous one be crushed like rotten wood.
The womb forgets him, The worm sweetens [on] him, He is remembered no more, And wickedness is broken as a tree.
21 For he has not treated the barren woman well, and has had no pity on a feeble woman.
Treating evil the barren [who] does not bear, And he does no good [to] the widow,
22 And in wrath he has overthrown the helpless: therefore when he has arisen, [a man] will not feel secure of his own life.
And [God] has drawn the mighty by His power, He rises, and none believes in life.
23 When he has fallen sick, let him not hope to recover: but let him perish by disease.
He gives to him confidence, and he is supported, And His eyes [are] on their ways.
24 For his exaltation has hurt many; but he has withered as mallows in the heat, or as an ear of corn falling off of itself from the stalk.
They were high [for] a little, and they are not, And they have been brought low. They are shut up as all [others], And cut off as the head of an ear of grain.
25 But if not, who is he that says I speak falsely, and will make my words of no account?
And if not now, who proves me a liar, And makes my word of nothing?”
