< 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]?
מַדּ֗וּעַ מִ֭שַּׁדַּי לֹא־נִצְפְּנ֣וּ עִתִּ֑ים וְיֹדְעֹו (וְ֝יֹדְעָ֗יו) לֹא־חָ֥זוּ יָמָֽיו׃
2 [The wicked] remove landmarks: they rob flocks, and feed them.
גְּבֻלֹ֥ות יַשִּׂ֑יגוּ עֵ֥דֶר גָּ֝זְל֗וּ וַיִּרְעֽוּ׃
3 They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take in pledge the widow's ox.
חֲמֹ֣ור יְתֹומִ֣ים יִנְהָ֑גוּ יַ֝חְבְּל֗וּ שֹׁ֣ור אַלְמָנָֽה׃
4 They chase the needy out of the highway: altogether hide themselves the poor of the earth.
יַטּ֣וּ אֶבְיֹונִ֣ים מִדָּ֑רֶךְ יַ֥חַד חֻ֝בְּא֗וּ עֲנִיֵּי־אָֽרֶץ׃
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.
הֵ֤ן פְּרָאִ֨ים ׀ בַּֽמִּדְבָּ֗ר יָצְא֣וּ בְּ֭פָעֳלָם מְשַׁחֲרֵ֣י לַטָּ֑רֶף עֲרָבָ֥ה לֹ֥ו לֶ֝֗חֶם לַנְּעָרִֽים׃
6 In the field they reap their food; and in the vineyard of the wicked they gather the fruit.
בַּ֭שָּׂדֶה בְּלִילֹ֣ו יַקְצִירוּ (יִקְצֹ֑ורוּ) וְכֶ֖רֶם רָשָׁ֣ע יְלַקֵּֽשׁוּ׃
7 They cause [the poor] to spend the night naked, without clothing and without any covering in the cold.
עָרֹ֣ום יָ֭לִינוּ מִבְּלִ֣י לְב֑וּשׁ וְאֵ֥ין כְּ֝ס֗וּת בַּקָּרָֽה׃
8 Through the sweeping rain of the mountains are they made wet, and for want of a shelter do they embrace the rock.
מִזֶּ֣רֶם הָרִ֣ים יִרְטָ֑בוּ וּֽמִבְּלִ֥י מַ֝חְסֶ֗ה חִבְּקוּ־צֽוּר׃
9 The others pluck from the breast the fatherless, and the garment of the poor they take in pledge.
יִ֭גְזְלוּ מִשֹּׁ֣ד יָתֹ֑ום וְֽעַל־עָנִ֥י יַחְבֹּֽלוּ׃
10 They cause him to go naked without clothing, and from the hungry they take away the sheaf:
עָרֹ֣ום הִ֭לְּכוּ בְּלִ֣י לְב֑וּשׁ וּ֝רְעֵבִ֗ים נָ֣שְׂאוּ עֹֽמֶר׃
11 Within their walls do they make oil, they tread their wine-presses, and suffer thirst.
בֵּין־שׁוּרֹתָ֥ם יַצְהִ֑ירוּ יְקָבִ֥ים דָּ֝רְכ֗וּ וַיִּצְמָֽאוּ׃
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.
מֵ֘עִ֤יר מְתִ֨ים ׀ יִנְאָ֗קוּ וְנֶֽפֶשׁ־חֲלָלִ֥ים תְּשַׁוֵּ֑עַ וֶ֝אֱלֹ֗והַּ לֹא־יָשִׂ֥ים תִּפְלָֽה׃
13 Yon men are of those that rebel against the light: they know not its ways, nor abide in its paths.
הֵ֤מָּה ׀ הָיוּ֮ בְּֽמֹרְדֵ֫י־אֹ֥ור לֹֽא־הִכִּ֥ירוּ דְרָכָ֑יו וְלֹ֥א יָ֝שְׁב֗וּ בִּנְתִיבֹתָֽיו׃
14 With the earliest light riseth the murderer, he slayeth the poor and needy, and in the night he becometh like the thief.
לָאֹ֡ור יָ֘ק֤וּם רֹוצֵ֗חַ יִֽקְטָל־עָנִ֥י וְאֶבְיֹ֑ון וּ֝בַלַּ֗יְלָה יְהִ֣י כַגַּנָּֽב׃
15 And the eye of the adulterer watcheth for the twilight, saying, No eye will see me; and placeth a covering on his face.
וְעֵ֤ין נֹאֵ֨ף ׀ שָׁ֤מְרָֽה נֶ֣שֶׁף לֵ֭אמֹר לֹא־תְשׁוּרֵ֣נִי עָ֑יִן וְסֵ֖תֶר פָּנִ֣ים יָשִֽׂים׃
16 They break into houses in the dark, in the daytime they lock themselves in: they know not the light.
חָתַ֥ר בַּחֹ֗שֶׁךְ בָּ֫תִּ֥ים יֹומָ֥ם חִתְּמוּ־לָ֗מֹו לֹא־יָ֥דְעוּ אֹֽור׃
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.
כִּ֤י יַחְדָּ֨ו ׀ בֹּ֣קֶר לָ֣מֹו צַלְמָ֑וֶת כִּֽי־יַ֝כִּ֗יר בַּלְהֹ֥ות צַלְמָֽוֶת׃
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.
קַֽל־ה֤וּא ׀ עַל־פְּנֵי־מַ֗יִם תְּקֻלַּ֣ל חֶלְקָתָ֣ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ לֹֽא־יִ֝פְנֶה דֶּ֣רֶךְ כְּרָמִֽים׃
19 Drought and heat speedily consume the snow-waters: so doth the grave those who have sinned. (Sheol h7585)
צִיָּ֤ה גַם־חֹ֗ם יִגְזְל֥וּ מֵֽימֵי־שֶׁ֗לֶג שְׁאֹ֣ול חָטָֽאוּ׃ (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.
יִשְׁכָּ֘חֵ֤הוּ רֶ֨חֶם ׀ מְתָ֘קֹ֤ו רִמָּ֗ה עֹ֥וד לֹֽא־יִזָּכֵ֑ר וַתִּשָּׁבֵ֖ר כָּעֵ֣ץ עַוְלָֽה׃
21 He ill-treateth the barren that heareth not; and to the widow he acteth not well.
רֹעֶ֣ה עֲ֭קָרָה לֹ֣א תֵלֵ֑ד וְ֝אַלְמָנָ֗ה לֹ֣א יְיֵטִֽיב׃
22 But he also draweth down the mighty with his power: he riseth up, no one is sure of life.
וּמָשַׁ֣ךְ אַבִּירִ֣ים בְּכֹחֹ֑ו יָ֝ק֗וּם וְֽלֹא־יַאֲמִ֥ין בַּֽחַיִּֽין׃
23 To such [God] granteth to be in safety, that he may find support; and His eyes are upon their ways.
יִתֶּן־לֹ֣ו לָ֭בֶטַח וְיִשָּׁעֵ֑ן וְ֝עֵינֵ֗יהוּ עַל־דַּרְכֵיהֶֽם׃
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.
רֹ֤ומּוּ מְּעַ֨ט ׀ וְֽאֵינֶ֗נּוּ וְֽהֻמְּכ֗וּ כַּכֹּ֥ל יִקָּפְצ֑וּן וּכְרֹ֖אשׁ שִׁבֹּ֣לֶת יִמָּֽלוּ׃
25 But if it be not so, who will prove me a liar, and render nought my word?
וְאִם־לֹ֣א אֵ֭פֹו מִ֣י יַכְזִיבֵ֑נִי וְיָשֵׂ֥ם לְ֝אַ֗ל מִלָּתִֽי׃ ס

< Job 24 >