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]?
Howe should not the times be hid from the Almightie, seeing that they which knowe him, see not his dayes?
2 [The wicked] remove landmarks: they rob flocks, and feed them.
Some remoue the land marks, that rob the flockes and feede thereof.
3 They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take in pledge the widow's ox.
They leade away the asse of the fatherles: and take the widowes oxe to pledge.
4 They chase the needy out of the highway: altogether hide themselves the poor of the earth.
They make the poore to turne out of the way, so that the poore of the earth hide themselues together.
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, 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.
6 In the field they reap their food; and in the vineyard of the wicked they gather the fruit.
They reape his prouision in the fielde, but they gather the late vintage of the wicked.
7 They cause [the poor] to spend the night naked, without clothing and without any covering in the cold.
They cause the naked to lodge without garment, and without couering in the colde.
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 showres of the moutaines, and they imbrace the rocke for want of a couering.
9 The others pluck from the breast the fatherless, and the garment of the poor they take in pledge.
They plucke the fatherles from the breast, and take the pledge of the poore.
10 They cause him to go naked without clothing, and from the hungry they take away the sheaf:
They cause him to go naked without clothing, and take the glening from the hungrie.
11 Within their walls do they make oil, they tread their wine-presses, and suffer thirst.
They that make oyle betweene their walles, and treade their wine presses, 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.
Men cry out of the citie, and the soules of the slayne cry out: yet God doth not charge them with follie.
13 Yon men are of those that rebel against the light: they know not its ways, nor abide in its paths.
These are they, that abhorre the light: they know not the wayes thereof, nor continue in the paths thereof.
14 With the earliest light riseth the murderer, he slayeth the poor and needy, and in the night he becometh like the thief.
The murtherer riseth earely and killeth the poore and the needie: and in the night he is as a theefe.
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 waiteth for the twilight, and sayth, None eye shall see me, and disguiseth his face.
16 They break into houses in the dark, in the daytime they lock themselves in: they know not the light.
They digge through houses in the darke, which they marked for themselues in the daye: they knowe not 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.
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.
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.
He is swift vpon the waters: their portion shalbe cursed in the earth: he will not behold the way of the vineyardes.
19 Drought and heat speedily consume the snow-waters: so doth the grave those who have sinned. (Sheol h7585)
As the dry ground and heate consume the snowe waters, so shall the graue the sinners. (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.
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.
21 He ill-treateth the barren that heareth not; and to the widow he acteth not well.
He doth euil intreat ye barren, that doeth not beare, neither doeth he good to the widowe.
22 But he also draweth down the mighty with his power: he riseth up, no one is sure of life.
He draweth also the mighty by his power, and when he riseth vp, none is sure of life.
23 To such [God] granteth to be in safety, that he may find support; and His eyes are upon their ways.
Though men giue him assurance to be in safetie, yet his eyes are vpon their wayes.
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 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.
25 But if it be not so, who will prove me a liar, and render nought my word?
But if it be not so, where is he? or who wil proue me a lyer, and make my words of no value?
