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 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 [The wicked] remove landmarks: they rob flocks, and feed them.
The wicked move boundary stones; they seize other people's flocks and move them to their own pastures.
3 They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take in pledge the widow's ox.
They steal the orphan's donkey; they take the widow's ox as security for a debt.
4 They chase the needy out of the highway: altogether hide themselves the poor of the earth.
They push the poor out of their way; the destitute are forced to hide from them.
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.
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 In the field they reap their food; and in the vineyard of the wicked they gather the fruit.
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 poor] to spend the night naked, without clothing and without any covering in the cold.
They spend the night naked because they have no clothes; they have nothing to cover themselves against 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 soaked by the cold mountain storms, and huddle beside the rocks for shelter.
9 The others pluck from the breast the fatherless, and the garment of the poor they take in pledge.
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 from the hungry they take away the sheaf:
Because they have no clothes to wear they have to go naked, harvesting sheaves of grain while they themselves are hungry.
11 Within their walls do they make oil, they tread their wine-presses, and suffer thirst.
In the olive groves they work to produce oil, but do not taste it; they tread the winepress, but are thirsty.
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.
In the city the dying groan, and the wounded cry for help, but God ignores their prayers.
13 Yon men are of those that rebel against the light: they know not its ways, nor abide in its paths.
These are people who rebel against the light. They do not want to know its ways, or to stay on 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 gets up at dawn to kill the poor and needy, and when night falls he becomes 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 adulterer waits for dusk, saying to himself, ‘No one will see me now,’ and he covers his face.
16 They break into houses in the dark, in the daytime they lock themselves in: they know 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 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.
Total darkness is like light to them, for they are familiar with the night.
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.
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 Drought and heat speedily consume the snow-waters: so doth the grave those who have sinned. (Sheol h7585)
Just as heat and drought dry up snowmelt, so Sheol takes away those who have sinned. (Sheol h7585)
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.
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 ill-treateth the barren that heareth not; and to the widow he acteth not well.
They mistreat childless women and are mean to widows.
22 But he also draweth down the mighty with his power: he riseth up, no one 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 To such [God] granteth to be in safety, that he may find support; and His eyes are upon their ways.
He supports them and gives them security, but he is always watching what they're doing.
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.
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, who will prove me a liar, and render nought my word?
If this isn't so, who can prove I'm a liar and there's nothing to what I say?”
