Job 24
1 Times are not hid from the Almighty: but they that know him, know not his days.
Howe should not the times be hid from the Almightie, seeing that they which knowe him, see not his dayes?
2 Some have removed landmarks, have taken away flocks by force, and fed them.
Some remoue the land marks, that rob the flockes and feede thereof.
3 They have driven away the ass of the fatherless, and have taken away the widow’s ox for a pledge.
They leade away the asse of the fatherles: and take the widowes oxe to pledge.
4 They have overturned the way of the poor, and have oppressed together the meek of the earth.
They make the poore to turne out of the way, so that the poore of the earth hide themselues together.
5 Others like wild asses in the desert go forth to their work: by watching for a prey they get bread for their children.
Behold, others as wilde asses in the wildernesse, goe forth to their businesse, and rise early for a praye: the wildernesse giueth him and his children foode.
6 They reap the field that is not their own, and gather the vintage of his vineyard whom by violence they have oppressed.
They reape his prouision in the fielde, but they gather the late vintage of the wicked.
7 They send men away naked, taking away their clothes who have no covering in the cold:
They cause the naked to lodge without garment, and without couering in the colde.
8 Who are wet, with the showers of the mountains, and having no covering embrace the stones.
They are wet with the showres of the moutaines, and they imbrace the rocke for want of a couering.
9 They have violently robbed the fatherless, and stripped the poor common people.
They plucke the fatherles from the breast, and take the pledge of the poore.
10 From the naked and them that go without clothing, and from the hungry they have taken away the ears of corn.
They cause him to go naked without clothing, and take the glening from the hungrie.
11 They have taken their rest at noon among the stores of them, who after having trodden the winepresses suffer thirst.
They that make oyle betweene their walles, and treade their wine presses, suffer thirst.
12 Out of the cities they have made men to groan, and the soul of the wounded hath cried out, and God doth not suffer it to pass unrevenged.
Men cry out of the citie, and the soules of the slayne cry out: yet God doth not charge them with follie.
13 They have been rebellious to the light, they have not known his ways, neither have they returned by his paths.
These are they, that abhorre the light: they know not the wayes thereof, nor continue in the paths thereof.
14 The murderer riseth at the very break of day, he killeth the needy, and the poor man: but in the night he will be as a thief.
The murtherer riseth earely and killeth the poore and the needie: and in the night he is as a theefe.
15 The eye of the adulterer observeth darkness, saying: No eye shall see me: and he will cover his face.
The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, and sayth, None eye shall see me, and disguiseth his face.
16 He diggeth through houses in the dark, as in the day they had appointed for themselves, and they have not known the light.
They digge through houses in the darke, which they marked for themselues in the daye: they knowe not the light.
17 If the morning suddenly appear, it is to them the shadow of death: and they walk in darkness as if it were in light.
But the morning is euen to them as the shadow of death: if one knowe them, they are in the terrours of the shadowe of death.
18 He is light upon the face of the water: cursed be his portion on the earth, let him not walk by the way of the vineyards.
He is swift vpon the waters: their portion shalbe cursed in the earth: he will not behold the way of the vineyardes.
As the dry ground and heate consume the snowe waters, so shall the graue the sinners. (Sheol h7585)
20 Let mercy forget him: may worms be his sweetness: let him be remembered no more, but be broken in pieces as an unfruitful tree.
The pitifull man shall forget him: the worme shall feele his sweetenes: he shalbe no more remembered, and the wicked shalbe broke like a tree.
21 For he hath fed the barren that beareth not, and to the widow he hath done no good.
He doth euil intreat ye barren, that doeth not beare, neither doeth he good to the widowe.
22 He hath pulled down the strong by his might: and when he standeth up, he shall not trust to his life.
He draweth also the mighty by his power, and when he riseth vp, none is sure of life.
23 God hath given him place for penance, and he abuseth it unto pride: but his eyes are upon his ways.
Though men giue him assurance to be in safetie, yet his eyes are vpon their wayes.
24 They are lifted up for a little while and shall not stand, and shall be brought down as all things, and shall be taken away, and as the tops of the ears of corn they shall be broken.
They are exalted for a litle, but they are gone, and are brought lowe as all others: they are destroyed, and cut off as the toppe of an eare of corne.
25 And if it be not so, who can convince me that I have lied, and set my words before God?
But if it be not so, where is he? or who wil proue me a lyer, and make my words of no value?
