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 times for judging wicked people not set by the Almighty? Why do not those who are faithful to God see his days of judgment come?
2 [The wicked] remove landmarks: they rob flocks, and feed them.
There are wicked people who remove boundary markers; there are wicked people who take away flocks by force and put them in their own pastures.
3 They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take in pledge the widow's ox.
They drive away the donkey of those without fathers; they take the widow's ox as security.
4 They chase the needy out of the highway: altogether hide themselves the poor of the earth.
They force needy people out of their path; poor people of the earth all hide themselves 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.
See, these poor people go out to their work like wild donkeys in the wilderness, looking carefully for food; perhaps the Arabah will provide them food for their children.
6 In the field they reap their food; and in the vineyard of the wicked they gather the fruit.
Poor people reap in the night in other people's fields; they glean grapes from the harvest of those wicked people.
7 They cause [the poor] to spend the night naked, without clothing and without any covering in the cold.
They lie naked all night without clothing; 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; they lie next to large rocks because they have no shelter.
9 The others pluck from the breast the fatherless, and the garment of the poor they take in pledge.
There are wicked people who pluck orphans from their mothers' breast, and wicked people who take children as security from poor people.
10 They cause him to go naked without clothing, and from the hungry they take away the sheaf:
But the poor people go about naked without clothing; although they go hungry, they carry bundles of grain belonging to other people.
11 Within their walls do they make oil, they tread their wine-presses, and suffer thirst.
The poor people make oil within the walls of those wicked men; they tread the wicked men's winepresses, but they themselves 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 city the dying groan, and the throat of the wounded cries out for help. But God does not ascribe blame
13 Yon men are of those that rebel against the light: they know not its ways, nor abide in its paths.
Some of these wicked people rebel against the light; they know not its ways, nor do they 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.
Before daylight the murderer rises and he kills poor and needy people; 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.
Also, the eye of the adulterer waits for the twilight; he says, '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 darkness wicked people dig into houses; but they shut themselves up in the daytime; they do not care for 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 all of them, thick darkness is like the morning; for they are friends with the terrors of 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.
Swiftly they pass away, however, like foam on the surface of the waters; their portion of the land is cursed; no one goes to work in their vineyards.
19 Drought and heat speedily consume the snow-waters: so doth the grave those who have sinned. (Sheol h7585)
As drought and heat melt away the snow into waters, 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.
The womb that bore him will forget him; the worm will feed sweetly on him; he will be remembered no more; in this way, wickedness will be broken like a tree.
21 He ill-treateth the barren that heareth not; and to the widow he acteth not well.
The wicked one devours the barren women who have not borne children; he does no good 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 drags away the mighty people by his power; he rises up and does not strengthen them in life.
23 To such [God] granteth to be in safety, that he may find support; and His eyes are upon their ways.
God allows them to think they are secure, and they are happy about that, but 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.
These people are exalted; still, in only a little while, they will be gone; indeed, they will be brought low; they will be gathered up like all the others; they will be cut off like the tops of 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, who can prove me to be a liar; who can make my speech worth nothing?”
