Job 24
1 “For this reason from the Mighty One Times have not been hidden, And those knowing Him have not seen His days.
Why are not times [of punishment] treasured up by the Almighty, and why do his adorers not see his days [of retribution]?
2 They reach the borders, They have taken a drove away violently, Indeed, they do evil.
[The wicked] remove landmarks: they rob flocks, and feed them.
3 They lead away the donkey of the fatherless, They take in pledge the ox of the widow,
They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take in pledge the widow's ox.
4 They turn aside the needy from the way, Together have hid the poor of the earth.
They chase the needy out of the highway: altogether hide themselves the poor of the earth.
5 Behold, wild donkeys in a wilderness, They have gone out about their work, Seeking early for prey, A mixture for himself—food for young ones.
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.
6 They reap his provender in a field, And they glean the vineyard of the wicked.
In the field they reap their food; and in the vineyard of the wicked they gather the fruit.
7 They cause the naked to lodge without clothing. And there is no covering in the cold.
They cause [the poor] to spend the night naked, without clothing and without any covering in the cold.
8 From the inundation of hills they are wet, And without a refuge—have embraced a rock.
Through the sweeping rain of the mountains are they made wet, and for want of a shelter do they embrace the rock.
9 They take away violently The orphan from the breast, And they lay a pledge on the poor.
The others pluck from the breast the fatherless, and the garment of the poor they take in pledge.
10 Naked, they have gone without clothing, And hungry—have taken away a sheaf.
They cause him to go naked without clothing, and from the hungry they take away the sheaf:
11 They make oil between their walls, They have trodden winepresses, and thirst.
Within their walls do they make oil, they tread their wine-presses, and suffer thirst.
12 Men groan because of enmity, And the soul of pierced ones cries, And God does not give praise.
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.
13 They have been those rebelling against light, They have not discerned His ways, Nor abided in His paths.
Yon men are of those that rebel against the light: they know not its ways, nor abide in its paths.
14 The murderer rises at the light, He slays the poor and needy, And in the night he is as a thief.
With the earliest light riseth the murderer, he slayeth the poor and needy, and in the night he becometh like the thief.
15 And the eye of an adulterer Has observed the twilight, Saying, No eye beholds me. And he puts the face in secret.
And the eye of the adulterer watcheth for the twilight, saying, No eye will see me; and placeth a covering on his face.
16 He has dug in the darkness—houses; By day they shut themselves up, They have not known light.
They break into houses in the dark, in the daytime they lock themselves in: they know not the light.
17 When together, morning [is] death-shade to them, When he discerns the terrors of death-shade.
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.
18 He [is] light on the face of the waters, Their portion is vilified in the earth, He does not turn the way of vineyards.
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.
Drought and heat speedily consume the snow-waters: so doth the grave those who have sinned. (Sheol h7585)
20 The womb forgets him, The worm sweetens [on] him, He is remembered no more, And wickedness is broken as a tree.
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.
21 Treating evil the barren [who] does not bear, And he does no good [to] the widow,
He ill-treateth the barren that heareth not; and to the widow he acteth not well.
22 And [God] has drawn the mighty by His power, He rises, and none believes in life.
But he also draweth down the mighty with his power: he riseth up, no one is sure of life.
23 He gives to him confidence, and he is supported, And His eyes [are] on their ways.
To such [God] granteth to be in safety, that he may find support; and His eyes are upon their ways.
24 They were high [for] a little, and they are not, And they have been brought low. They are shut up as all [others], And cut off as the head of an ear of grain.
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.
25 And if not now, who proves me a liar, And makes my word of nothing?”
But if it be not so, who will prove me a liar, and render nought my word?
