Job 24
1 Why are not times [of punishment] treasured up by the Almighty, and why do his adorers not see his days [of retribution]?
“Why are not times laid up by the Almighty? Why do not those who know him see his days?
2 [The wicked] remove landmarks: they rob flocks, and feed them.
There are people who remove the landmarks. They violently take away flocks, and feed them.
3 They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take in pledge the widow's ox.
They drive away the donkey of the fatherless, and they take the widow’s ox for a pledge.
4 They chase the needy out of the highway: altogether hide themselves the poor of the earth.
They turn the needy out of the way. The poor of the earth all hide themselves.
5 Behold, as wild asses in the wilderness go they forth to their work, rising betimes after [their] prey: the desert yieldeth food for them and for their young men.
Behold, as wild donkeys in the desert, they go out to their work, seeking diligently for food. The wilderness yields them bread for their children.
6 In the field they reap their food; and in the vineyard of the wicked they gather the fruit.
They cut their food in the field. They glean the vineyard of the wicked.
7 They cause [the poor] to spend the night naked, without clothing and without any covering in the cold.
They lie all night naked without clothing, and have no covering in the cold.
8 Through the sweeping rain of the mountains are they made wet, and for want of a shelter do they embrace the rock.
They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for lack of a shelter.
9 The others pluck from the breast the fatherless, and the garment of the poor they take in pledge.
There are those who pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor,
10 They cause him to go naked without clothing, and from the hungry they take away the sheaf:
so that they go around naked without clothing. Being hungry, they carry the sheaves.
11 Within their walls do they make oil, they tread their wine-presses, and suffer thirst.
They make oil within the walls of these men. They tread wine presses, and suffer thirst.
12 Out of a populous city is groaning heard, and the soul of the deadly wounded crieth out: yet God regardeth it not as an offence.
From out of the populous city, men groan. The soul of the wounded cries out, yet God does not regard the folly.
13 Yon men are of those that rebel against the light: they know not its ways, nor abide in its paths.
“These are of those who rebel against the light. They do not know its ways, nor stay in its paths.
14 With the earliest light riseth the murderer, he slayeth the poor and needy, and in the night he becometh like the thief.
The murderer rises with the light. He kills the poor and needy. In the night he is like a thief.
15 And the eye of the adulterer watcheth for the twilight, saying, No eye will see me; and placeth a covering on his face.
The eye also of the adulterer waits for the twilight, saying, ‘No eye will see me.’ He disguises his face.
16 They break into houses in the dark, in the daytime they lock themselves in: they know not the light.
In the dark they dig through houses. They shut themselves up in the daytime. They do not know the light.
17 For to all of these alike is the morning as the shadow of death; for they are familiar with the terrors of the shadow of death.
For the morning is to all of them like thick darkness, for they know the terrors of the thick darkness.
18 Swift are such men [to flee] on the face of the water; accursed is their field on the land; none of them turneth himself to the way, of the vineyards.
“They are foam on the surface of the waters. Their portion is cursed in the earth. They do not turn into the way of the vineyards.
19 Drought and heat speedily consume the snow-waters: so doth the grave those who have sinned. (Sheol h7585)
Drought and heat consume the snow waters, so does Sheol (Sheol h7585) those who have sinned.
20 The mother that bore such a one will forget him; the worm will feed sweetly on him; he will be no more remembered; and like a tree will wickedness be broken.
The womb will forget him. The worm will feed sweetly on him. He will be no more remembered. Unrighteousness will be broken as a tree.
21 He ill-treateth the barren that heareth not; and to the widow he acteth not well.
He devours the barren who do not bear. He shows no kindness to the widow.
22 But he also draweth down the mighty with his power: he riseth up, no one is sure of life.
Yet God preserves the mighty by his power. He rises up who has no assurance of life.
23 To such [God] granteth to be in safety, that he may find support; and His eyes are upon their ways.
God gives them security, and they rest in it. His eyes are on their ways.
24 They are exalted; in but a little while they are no more; and they are brought down low: like all others are they gathered in, and like the top of the ear of corn are they cut off.
They are exalted; yet a little while, and they are gone. Yes, they are brought low, they are taken out of the way as all others, and are cut off as the tops of the ears of grain.
25 But if it be not so, who will prove me a liar, and render nought my word?
If it is not so now, who will prove me a liar, and make my speech worth nothing?”
