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 treasured up by the Almighty? And why do not they who know him see his days?
2 [The wicked] remove landmarks: they rob flocks, and feed them.
They remove landmarks; They take away flocks by violence, and pasture them.
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, And 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 push the needy from the way; All the poor of the land are forced to 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, like wild asses of the desert, they go forth to their work; They search for prey; The wilderness supplieth them food for their children.
6 In the field they reap their food; and in the vineyard of the wicked they gather the fruit.
In the fields they reap the harvest, And gather the vintage of the oppressor.
7 They cause [the poor] to spend the night naked, without clothing and without any covering in the cold.
They lodge naked, without clothing, And without covering from 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 drenched with the mountain showers, And embrace the rock for want of shelter.
9 The others pluck from the breast the fatherless, and the garment of the poor they take in pledge.
The fatherless are torn from the breast, And the garment of the needy is taken for a pledge.
10 They cause him to go naked without clothing, and from the hungry they take away the sheaf:
They go naked, without clothing, And carry the sheaf hungry.
11 Within their walls do they make oil, they tread their wine-presses, and suffer thirst.
They make oil within their walls, And tread the wine-vat, yet 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 anguish the dying groan, And the wounded cry aloud; And God regardeth not their prayer!
13 Yon men are of those that rebel against the light: they know not its ways, nor abide in its paths.
Others hate the light; They know not its ways, And abide not 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.
With the light ariseth the murderer; He killeth the poor and needy; In the night he 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 of the adulterer watcheth for the twilight; He saith, “No eye will see me,” And putteth a mask upon 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 break into houses; In the daytime they shut themselves up; They are strangers to 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.
The morning is to them the very shadow of death; They are familiar with 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.
Light are they on the face of the waters; They have an accursed portion in the earth; They come not near the vineyards.
19 Drought and heat speedily consume the snow-waters: so doth the grave those who have sinned. (Sheol h7585)
As drought and heat consume the snow waters, So doth the grave the wicked. (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.
His own mother forgetteth him; The worm feedeth sweetly on him; He is no more remembered, And iniquity is broken like a tree.
21 He ill-treateth the barren that heareth not; and to the widow he acteth not well.
He oppresseth the barren, that hath not borne, And doeth 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 taketh away the mighty by his power; He riseth up, and no one 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.
God giveth them security, so that they are confident; His eyes are upon 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; —in a little while they are gone! They are brought low, and die, like all others; And like the topmost ears of corn are they cut off.
25 But if it be not so, who will prove me a liar, and render nought my word?
If it be not so, who will confute me, And show my discourse to be worthless?
