Job 24
1 Times are not hid from the Almighty: but they that know him, know not his days.
“For this reason from the Mighty One Times have not been hidden, And those knowing Him have not seen His days.
2 Some have removed landmarks, have taken away flocks by force, and fed them.
They reach the borders, They have taken a drove away violently, Indeed, they do evil.
3 They have driven away the ass of the fatherless, and have taken away 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 overturned the way of the poor, and have oppressed 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 a prey they get bread for their children.
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 reap the field that is not their own, and gather the vintage of his vineyard whom by violence they have oppressed.
They reap his provender in a field, And they glean the vineyard 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 clothing. And there is no covering in the cold.
8 Who are wet, with the showers of the mountains, and having no covering embrace the stones.
From the inundation of hills they are wet, And without a refuge—have embraced a rock.
9 They have violently robbed the fatherless, and stripped the poor common people.
They take away violently The orphan from the breast, And they lay a pledge on the poor.
10 From the naked and them that go without clothing, and from the hungry they have taken away the ears of corn.
Naked, they have gone without clothing, And hungry—have taken away a sheaf.
11 They have taken their rest at noon among the stores of them, who after having trodden the winepresses suffer thirst.
They make oil between their walls, They have trodden winepresses, and 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 groan because of enmity, And the soul of pierced ones cries, And God does not give praise.
13 They have been rebellious to the light, they have not known his ways, neither have they returned by his paths.
They have been those rebelling against light, They have not discerned His ways, Nor abided in His paths.
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 murderer rises at the light, He slays the poor and needy, And in the night he is as a thief.
15 The eye of the adulterer observeth darkness, saying: No eye shall see me: and he will cover 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 He diggeth through houses in the dark, as in the day they had appointed for themselves, and they have not known the light.
He has dug in the darkness—houses; By day they shut themselves up, They have not known 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.
When together, morning [is] death-shade to them, When he discerns the terrors of death-shade.
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] light on the face of the waters, Their portion is vilified in the earth, He does not turn the way of vineyards.
Drought—also heat—consume snow-waters, Sheol—[those who] have sinned. (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 womb forgets him, The worm sweetens [on] him, He is remembered no more, And wickedness is broken as a tree.
21 For he hath fed the barren that beareth not, and to the widow he hath done no good.
Treating evil the barren [who] does not bear, And he does no good [to] the widow,
22 He hath pulled down the strong by his might: and when he standeth up, he shall not trust to his life.
And [God] has drawn the mighty by His power, He rises, and none believes in life.
23 God hath given him place for penance, and he abuseth it unto pride: but his eyes are upon his ways.
He gives to him confidence, and he is supported, And His eyes [are] on their ways.
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 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 And if it be not so, who can convince me that I have lied, and set my words before God?
And if not now, who proves me a liar, And makes my word of nothing?”
