Job 24
1 Why are times not laid up by the Almighty? And why do not they that know Him see His days?
Why are times not stored up by the Ruler of all, and why do those who have knowledge of him not see his days?
2 There are that remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks, and feed them.
The landmarks are changed by evil men, they violently take away flocks, together with their keepers.
3 They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow's ox for a pledge.
They send away the ass of him who has no father, they take the widow's ox for debt.
4 They turn the needy out of the way; the poor of the earth hide themselves together.
The crushed are turned out of the way; all the poor of the earth go into a secret place together.
5 Behold, as wild asses in the wilderness they go forth to their work, seeking diligently for food; the desert yieldeth them bread for their children.
Like asses in the waste land they go out to their work, looking for food with care; from the waste land they get bread for their children.
6 They cut his provender in the field; and they despoil the vineyard of the wicked.
They get mixed grain from the field, and they take away the late fruit from the vines of those who have wealth.
7 They lie all night naked without clothing, and have no covering in the cold.
They take their rest at night without clothing, and have no cover in the cold.
8 They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter.
They are wet with the rain of the mountains, and get into the cracks of the rock for cover.
9 There are that pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor;
The child without a father is forced from its mother's breast, and they take the young children of the poor for debt.
10 So that they go about naked without clothing, and being hungry they carry the sheaves;
Others go about without clothing, and though they have no food, they get in the grain from the fields.
11 They make oil within the rows of these men; they tread their winepresses, and suffer thirst.
Between the lines of olive-trees they make oil; though they have no drink, they are crushing out the grapes.
12 From out of the populous city men groan, and the soul of the wounded crieth out; yet God imputeth it not for unseemliness.
From the town come sounds of pain from those who are near death, and the soul of the wounded is crying out for help; but God does not take note of their prayer.
13 These are of them that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof.
Then there are those who are haters of the light, who have no knowledge of its ways, and do not go in them.
14 The murderer riseth with the light, to kill the poor and needy; and in the night he is as a thief.
He who is purposing death gets up before day, so that he may put to death the poor and those in need.
15 The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying: 'No eye shall see me'; and he putteth a covering on his face.
And the man whose desire is for the wife of another is waiting for the evening, saying, No eye will see me; and he puts a cover on his face. And in the night the thief goes about;
16 In the dark they dig through houses; they shut themselves up in the day-time; they know not the light.
In the dark he makes holes in the walls of houses: in the daytime they are shutting themselves up, they have no knowledge of the light.
17 For the shadow of death is to all of them as the morning; for they know the terrors of the shadow of death.
For the middle of the night is as morning to them, they are not troubled by the fear of the dark.
18 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.
They go quickly on the face of the waters; their heritage is cursed in the earth; the steps of the crusher of grapes are not turned to their vine-garden.
19 Drought and heat consume the snow waters; so doth the nether-world those that have sinned. (Sheol h7585)
Snow waters become dry with the heat: so do sinners go down into the underworld. (Sheol h7585)
20 The womb forgetteth him; the worm feedeth sweetly on him; he shall be no more remembered; and unrighteousness is broken as a tree.
The public place of his town has no more knowledge of him, and his name has gone from the memory of men: he is rooted up like a dead tree.
21 He devoureth the barren that beareth not; and doeth not good to the widow.
He is not kind to the widow, and he has no pity for her child.
22 He draweth away the mighty also by his power; he riseth up, and he trusteth not his own life.
But God by his power gives long life to the strong; he gets up again, though he has no hope of life.
23 Though it be given him to be in safety, whereon he resteth, yet His eyes are upon their ways.
He takes away his fear of danger and gives him support; and his eyes are on his ways.
24 They are exalted for a little while, and they are gone; yea, they are brought low, they are gathered in as all others, and wither as the tops of the ears of corn.
For a short time they are lifted up; then they are gone; they are made low, they are pulled off like fruit, and like the heads of grain they are cut off.
25 And if it be not so now, who will prove me a liar, and make my speech nothing worth?
And if it is not so, now, who will make it clear that my words are false, and that what I say is of no value?
