Job 24
1 Howe should not the times be hid from the Almightie, seeing that they which knowe him, see not his dayes?
Why doesn't the Almighty set a definite time to punish the wicked? Why don't those who follow him never see him act in judgment?
2 Some remoue the land marks, that rob the flockes and feede thereof.
The wicked move boundary stones; they seize other people's flocks and move them to their own pastures.
3 They leade away the asse of the fatherles: and take the widowes oxe to pledge.
They steal the orphan's donkey; they take the widow's ox as security for a debt.
4 They make the poore to turne out of the way, so that the poore of the earth hide themselues together.
They push the poor out of their way; the destitute are forced to hide from them.
5 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.
Like wild donkeys in the desert, the poor have to scavenge for their food, looking for anything to feed their children in the wasteland.
6 They reape his prouision in the fielde, but they gather the late vintage of the wicked.
They are forced to find what they can in other people's fields, to glean among the vineyards of the wicked.
7 They cause the naked to lodge without garment, and without couering in the colde.
They spend the night naked because they have no clothes; they have nothing to cover themselves against the cold.
8 They are wet with the showres of the moutaines, and they imbrace the rocke for want of a couering.
They are soaked by the cold mountain storms, and huddle beside the rocks for shelter.
9 They plucke the fatherles from the breast, and take the pledge of the poore.
Fatherless children are snatched from their mother's breasts, taking the babies of the poor as security for a debt.
10 They cause him to go naked without clothing, and take the glening from the hungrie.
Because they have no clothes to wear they have to go naked, harvesting sheaves of grain while they themselves are hungry.
11 They that make oyle betweene their walles, and treade their wine presses, suffer thirst.
In the olive groves they work to produce oil, but do not taste it; they tread the winepress, but are thirsty.
12 Men cry out of the citie, and the soules of the slayne cry out: yet God doth not charge them with follie.
In the city the dying groan, and the wounded cry for help, but God ignores their prayers.
13 These are they, that abhorre the light: they know not the wayes thereof, nor continue in the paths thereof.
These are people who rebel against the light. They do not want to know its ways, or to stay on its paths.
14 The murtherer riseth earely and killeth the poore and the needie: and in the night he is as a theefe.
The murderer gets up at dawn to kill the poor and needy, and when night falls he becomes a thief.
15 The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, and sayth, None eye shall see me, and disguiseth his face.
The adulterer waits for dusk, saying to himself, ‘No one will see me now,’ and he covers his face.
16 They digge through houses in the darke, which they marked for themselues in the daye: they knowe not the light.
Thieves break into houses during the night and they sleep during the day. They don't even know what the light is like!
17 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.
Total darkness is like light to them, for they are familiar with the night.
18 He is swift vpon the waters: their portion shalbe cursed in the earth: he will not behold the way of the vineyardes.
Like bubbles on the surface of a river they are quickly carried away. The land they own is cursed by God. They don't enter their own vineyards.
19 As the dry ground and heate consume the snowe waters, so shall the graue the sinners. (Sheol h7585)
Just as heat and drought dry up snowmelt, so Sheol takes away those who have sinned. (Sheol h7585)
20 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.
Even their mothers forget them, maggots feast on them, they are no longer remembered, and their wickedness becomes like a tree that is broken into pieces.
21 He doth euil intreat ye barren, that doeth not beare, neither doeth he good to the widowe.
They mistreat childless women and are mean to widows.
22 He draweth also the mighty by his power, and when he riseth vp, none is sure of life.
God prolongs the life of the wicked by his power; but when they arise, they have no assurance of life.
23 Though men giue him assurance to be in safetie, yet his eyes are vpon their wayes.
He supports them and gives them security, but he is always watching what they're doing.
24 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.
Though they may be illustrious for a while, soon they are gone. They are brought down like all others, cut off like the heads of grain.
25 But if it be not so, where is he? or who wil proue me a lyer, and make my words of no value?
If this isn't so, who can prove I'm a liar and there's nothing to what I say?”
