Job 24
1 But why have the seasons been hidden from the Lord,
Wherefore 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?
The borders they reach, A drove they have taken violently away, Yea, they do evil.
3 They have led away, the ass of the fatherless, and taken the widow's ox for a pledge.
The ass of the fatherless they lead away, 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.
Lo, wild asses 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.
In a field his provender they reap, And the vineyard of the wicked they glean.
7 They have caused many naked to sleep without clothes, and they have taken away the covering of their body.
The naked they cause 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 violently away From the breast the orphan, And on the poor they lay a pledge.
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.
Between their walls they make oil, Wine-presses they have trodden, 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.
Because of enmity men do groan, And the soul of pierced ones doth cry, And God doth 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 among rebellious ones of light, They have not discerned His ways, Nor abode in His paths.
14 But having known their works, he delivered them into darkness: and in the night one will be as a thief:
At the light doth the murderer rise, He doth slay 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 Hath observed the twilight, Saying, 'No eye doth behold me.' And he putteth the face in secret.
16 In darkness he digs through houses: by day they conceal themselves securely: they know not the light.
He hath 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] to them death shade, When he discerneth 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.
Light he [is] on the face of the waters, Vilified is their portion in the earth, He turneth not 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.
Forget him doth the womb, Sweeten [on] him doth the worm, No more is he remembered, And broken as a tree is wickedness.
21 For he has not treated the barren woman well, and has had no pity on a feeble woman.
Treating evil the barren [who] beareth not, And [to] the widow he doth no good,
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 hath drawn the mighty by his power, He riseth, and none believeth in life.
23 When he has fallen sick, let him not hope to recover: but let him perish by disease.
He giveth 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.
High they were [for] a little, and they are not, And they have been brought low. As all [others] they are shut up, And as the head of an ear of corn cut off.
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 doth prove me a liar, And doth make of nothing my word?
