Job 24
1 Times are not hid from the Almighty: but they that know him, know not his days.
Why are times not laid up by the Almighty? and why do not they which know him see his days?
2 Some have removed landmarks, have taken away flocks by force, and fed them.
There are that remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks, and feed them.
3 They have driven away the ass of the fatherless, and have taken away the widow’s ox for a pledge.
They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow’s ox for a pledge.
4 They have overturned the way of the poor, and have oppressed together the meek of the earth.
They turn the needy out of the way: the poor of the earth hide themselves 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, as wild asses in the desert they go forth to their work, seeking diligently for meat; the wilderness [yieldeth] them food for their children.
6 They reap the field that is not their own, and gather the vintage of his vineyard whom by violence they have oppressed.
They cut their provender in the field; and they glean the vintage of the wicked.
7 They send men away naked, taking away their clothes who have no covering in the cold:
They lie all night naked without clothing, and have no covering in the cold.
8 Who are wet, with the showers of the mountains, and having no covering embrace the stones.
They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter.
9 They have violently robbed the fatherless, and stripped the poor common people.
There are that pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor:
10 From the naked and them that go without clothing, and from the hungry they have taken away the ears of corn.
[So that] they go about naked without clothing, and being an-hungred they carry the sheaves;
11 They have taken their rest at noon among the stores of them, who after having trodden the winepresses suffer thirst.
They make oil within the walls of these men; they tread [their] winepresses, and 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.
From out of the populous city men groan, and the soul of the wounded crieth out: yet God imputeth it not for folly.
13 They have been rebellious to the light, they have not known his ways, neither have they returned by his paths.
These are of them that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide 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 murderer riseth with the light, he killeth 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.
The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and he 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.
In the dark they dig through houses: they shut themselves up in the daytime; they know 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.
For the morning is to all of them as the shadow of death; for they know the terrors of the shadow 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 upon the face of the waters; their portion is cursed in the earth: he turneth not by the way of the vineyards.
Drought and heat consume the snow waters: [so doth] Sheol [those which] 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 shall forget him; the worm shall feed sweetly on him; he shall be no more remembered: and unrighteousness shall be broken as a tree.
21 For he hath fed the barren that beareth not, and to the widow he hath done no good.
He devoureth the barren that beareth not; and doeth not 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.
He draweth away the mighty also by his power: he riseth up, and no man 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.
[God] giveth them to be in security, and they rest thereon; and his eyes are upon 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 are exalted; yet a little while, and they are gone; yea, they are brought low, they are taken out of the way as all other, and are cut off as the tops of the ears of corn.
25 And if it be not so, who can convince me that I have lied, and set my words before God?
And if it be not so now, who will prove me a liar, and make my speech nothing worth?
