Job 24
1 But why have the seasons been hidden from the Lord,
Why are times not laid up by the Almighty? And why do not they that know Him see His days?
2 while the ungodly have passed over the bound, carrying off the flock with the shepherd?
There are that remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks, and feed them.
3 They have led away, the ass of the fatherless, and taken 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 turned aside the weak from the right way: and the meek of the earth have hidden themselves together.
They turn the needy out of the way; the poor of the earth hide themselves together.
5 And they have departed like asses in the field, having gone forth on my account according to their own order: his bread is sweet to [his] little ones.
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.
6 They have reaped a field that was not their own before the time: the poor have laboured in the vineyards of the ungodly without pay and without food.
They cut his provender in the field; and they despoil the vineyard of the wicked.
7 They have caused many naked to sleep without clothes, and they have taken away the covering of their body.
They lie all night naked without clothing, and have no covering in the cold.
8 They are wet with the drops of the mountains: they have embraced the rock, because they had no shelter.
They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter.
9 They have snatched the fatherless from the breast, and have afflicted the outcast.
There are that pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor;
10 And they have wrongfully caused [others] to sleep without clothing, and taken away the morsel of the hungry.
So that they go about naked without clothing, and being hungry they carry the sheaves;
11 They have unrighteously laid wait in narrow places, and have not known the righteous way.
They make oil within the rows of these men; they tread their winepresses, and suffer thirst.
12 Who have cast forth [the] poor from the city and their own houses, and the soul of the children has groaned aloud.
From out of the populous city men groan, and the soul of the wounded crieth out; yet God imputeth it not for unseemliness.
13 Why then has he not visited these? forasmuch as they were upon the earth, and took no notice, and they knew not the way of righteousness, neither have they walked in their [appointed] paths?
These are of them that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof.
14 But having known their works, he delivered them into darkness: and in the night one will be as a thief:
The murderer riseth with the light, to kill the poor and needy; and in the night he is as a thief.
15 and the eye of the adulterer has watched [for] the darkness, saying, Eye shall not perceive me, and he puts a covering on his face.
The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying: 'No eye shall see me'; and he putteth a covering on his face.
16 In darkness he digs through houses: by day they conceal themselves securely: they know not the light.
In the dark they dig through houses; they shut themselves up in the day-time; they know not the light.
17 For the morning is to them all [as] the shadow of death, for [each] will be conscious of the terror of the shadow of death.
For the shadow of death is to all of them as the morning; for they know the terrors of the shadow of death.
18 He is swift on the face of the water: let his portion be cursed on the earth; and let their plants be laid bare.
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.
19 [Let them be] withered upon the earth; for they have plundered the sheaves of the fatherless. (Sheol h7585)
Drought and heat consume the snow waters; so doth the nether-world those that have sinned. (Sheol h7585)
20 Then is his sin brought to remembrance, and he vanishes like a vapor of dew: but let what he has done be recompensed to him, and let every unrighteous one be crushed like rotten wood.
The womb forgetteth him; the worm feedeth sweetly on him; he shall be no more remembered; and unrighteousness is broken as a tree.
21 For he has not treated the barren woman well, and has had no pity on a feeble woman.
He devoureth the barren that beareth not; and doeth not good to the widow.
22 And in wrath he has overthrown the helpless: therefore when he has arisen, [a man] will not feel secure of his own life.
He draweth away the mighty also by his power; he riseth up, and he trusteth not his own life.
23 When he has fallen sick, let him not hope to recover: but let him perish by disease.
Though it be given him to be in safety, whereon he resteth, yet His eyes are upon their ways.
24 For his exaltation has hurt many; but he has withered as mallows in the heat, or as an ear of corn falling off of itself from the stalk.
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.
25 But if not, who is he that says I speak falsely, and will make my words of no account?
And if it be not so now, who will prove me a liar, and make my speech nothing worth?
