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, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that know him not see his days?
2 [The wicked] remove landmarks: they rob flocks, and feed them.
Some remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks, and feed thereof.
3 They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take in pledge the widow's ox.
They drive away the ass of the fatherless, 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 hide themselves 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, as wild asses in the desert, go they forth to their work; rising betimes for a prey: the wilderness yields food for them and for their children.
6 In the field they reap their food; and in the vineyard of the wicked they gather the fruit.
They reap every one his corn in the field: and they gather the 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 clothing, that they 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 want of a shelter.
9 The others pluck from the breast the fatherless, and the garment of the poor they take in pledge.
They 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:
They cause him to go naked without clothing, and they take away the sheaf from the hungry;
11 Within their walls do they make oil, they tread their wine-presses, and suffer thirst.
Which make oil within their walls, and tread their winepresses, 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.
Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded cries out: yet God lays not folly to them.
13 Yon men are of those that rebel against the light: they know not its ways, nor abide in its paths.
They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide 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 murderer rising with the light kills the poor and needy, and in the night is as 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 shall see me: and 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, which they had marked for themselves in the daytime: they know 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.
For the morning is to them even as the shadow of death: if one know them, they are in the terrors of the shadow 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 as the waters; their portion is cursed in the earth: he beholds not 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 the grave those which 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.
The womb shall forget him; the worm shall feed sweetly on him; he shall be no more remembered; and wickedness shall be broken as a tree.
21 He ill-treateth the barren that heareth not; and to the widow he acteth not well.
He evil entreats the barren that bears not: and does not good to the widow.
22 But he also draweth down the mighty with his power: he riseth up, no one is sure of life.
He draws also the mighty with his power: he rises up, and no man 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 it be given him to be in safety, where on he rests; yet 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 for a little while, but are gone and brought low; they are taken out of the way as all other, and cut off as the tops of the ears of corn.
25 But if it be not so, who will prove me a liar, and render nought my word?
And if it be not so now, who will make me a liar, and make my speech nothing worth?
