Job 24
1 The times are not hidden from the Almighty; even those who know him, do not know his days.
Wherefore from the Mighty One Times have not been hidden, And those knowing Him have not seen His days.
2 Some have crossed the boundaries, plundered the flocks, and given them pasture.
The borders they reach, A drove they have taken violently away, Yea, they do evil.
3 They have driven away the donkey of orphans, and have taken the cow from the widow as collateral.
The ass of the fatherless they lead away, They take in pledge the ox of the widow,
4 They have undermined the way of the poor, and have pressed together the meek of the earth.
They turn aside the needy from the way, Together have hid the poor of the earth.
5 Others, like wild asses in the desert, go forth to their work; by watching for prey, they obtain bread for their children.
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 reap a field that is not their own, and they harvest a vineyard that they have taken by force.
In a field his provender they reap, And the vineyard of the wicked they glean.
7 They send men away naked, having taken the clothing of those who have no covering in the cold;
The naked they cause to lodge Without clothing. And there is no covering in the cold.
8 these are wet with the mountain rain, and, having no covering, they embrace the rocks.
From the inundation of hills they are wet, And without a refuge — have embraced a rock.
9 They have used violence to deprive orphans, and they have robbed the poor common people.
They take violently away From the breast the orphan, And on the poor they lay a pledge.
10 From the naked and those who do not have enough clothing, and from the hungry, they have taken away sheaves of grain.
Naked, they have gone without clothing, And hungry — have taken away a sheaf.
11 They take their midday rest among the stockpiles of those who, though they have trodden the winepresses, suffer thirst.
Between their walls they make oil, Wine-presses they have trodden, and thirst.
12 In the cities, they caused the men to groan and the spirit of the wounded to cry out, and so God does not allow this to go unpunished.
Because of enmity men do groan, And the soul of pierced ones doth cry, And God doth not give praise.
13 They have been rebellious against the light; they have not known his ways, nor have they returned by his paths.
They have been among rebellious ones of light, They have not discerned His ways, Nor abode in His paths.
14 The killer of men rises at first light; he executes the destitute and the poor, but, in truth, he is like a thief in the night.
At the light doth the murderer rise, He doth slay the poor and needy, And in the night he is as a thief.
15 The eye of the adulterer waits for darkness, saying, “No eye will see me,” and he covers 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 He passes through houses in the nighttime, just as they had agreed among themselves in the daytime; and they are ignorant of the light.
He hath dug in the darkness — houses; By day they shut themselves up, They have not known light.
17 If sunrise should suddenly appear, it is treated by them like the shadow of death; and they walk in darkness, as if in light.
When together, morning [is] to them death shade, When he discerneth the terrors of death shade.
18 He is nimble on the surface of water. His place on land is to be accursed. May he not walk by way of the vineyards.
Light he [is] on the face of the waters, Vilified is their portion in the earth, He turneth not the way of vineyards.
19 May he cross from the snowy waters to excessive heat, and his sin, all the way to hell. (Sheol h7585)
Drought — also heat — consume snow-waters, Sheol [those who] have sinned. (Sheol h7585)
20 Let mercy forget him. His charm is worms. Let him not be remembered, but instead be broken like an unfruitful tree.
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 fed on the barren, who does not bear fruit, and he has not done good to the widow.
Treating evil the barren [who] beareth not, And [to] the widow he doth no good,
22 He has pulled down the strong by his strength, and, when he stands up, he will not have trust in his life.
And hath drawn the mighty by his power, He riseth, and none believeth in life.
23 God has given him a place for repentance, and he abuses it with arrogance, but his eyes are upon his ways.
He giveth to him confidence, and he is supported, And his eyes [are] on their ways.
24 They are lifted up for a little while, but they will not continue, and they will be brought low, just like all things, and they will be taken away, and, like the tops of the ears of grain, they will be crushed.
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 this is not so, who is able to prove to me that I have lied and to place my words before God?
And if not now, who doth prove me a liar, And doth make of nothing my word?
