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 treasured up by the Almighty? And why do not they who know him see his days?
2 They reach the borders, They have taken a drove away violently, Indeed, they do evil.
They remove landmarks; They take away flocks by violence, and pasture 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, And take the widow's ox for a pledge.
4 They turn aside the needy from the way, Together have hid 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, 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, 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 They reap his provender in a field, And they glean the vineyard of the wicked.
In the fields they reap the harvest, And gather the vintage of the oppressor.
7 They cause the naked to lodge without clothing. And there is no covering in the cold.
They lodge naked, without clothing, And without covering from the cold.
8 From the inundation of hills they are wet, And without a refuge—have embraced a rock.
They are drenched with the mountain showers, And embrace the rock for want of shelter.
9 They take away violently The orphan from the breast, And they lay a pledge on the poor.
The fatherless are torn from the breast, And the garment of the needy is taken for a pledge.
10 Naked, they have gone without clothing, And hungry—have taken away a sheaf.
They go naked, without clothing, And carry the sheaf hungry.
11 They make oil between their walls, They have trodden winepresses, and thirst.
They make oil within their walls, And tread the wine-vat, yet suffer thirst.
12 Men groan because of enmity, And the soul of pierced ones cries, And God does not give praise.
From anguish the dying groan, And the wounded cry aloud; And God regardeth not their prayer!
13 They have been those rebelling against light, They have not discerned His ways, Nor abided in His paths.
Others hate the light; They know not its ways, And abide not 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 light ariseth the murderer; He killeth the poor and needy; In the night he is as a thief.
15 And the eye of an adulterer Has observed the twilight, Saying, No eye beholds me. And he puts the face in secret.
The eye of the adulterer watcheth for the twilight; He saith, “No eye will see me,” And putteth a mask upon his face.
16 He has dug in the darkness—houses; By day they shut themselves up, They have not known light.
In the dark they break into houses; In the daytime they shut themselves up; They are strangers to the light.
17 When together, morning [is] death-shade to them, When he discerns the terrors of death-shade.
The morning is to them the very shadow of death; 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.
Light are they on the face of the waters; They have an accursed portion in the earth; They come not near the vineyards.
As drought and heat consume the snow waters, So doth the grave the wicked. (Sheol h7585)
20 The womb forgets him, The worm sweetens [on] him, He is remembered no more, And wickedness is broken as a tree.
His own mother forgetteth him; The worm feedeth sweetly on him; He is no more remembered, And iniquity is broken like a tree.
21 Treating evil the barren [who] does not bear, And he does no good [to] the widow,
He oppresseth the barren, that hath not borne, And doeth not good to the widow.
22 And [God] has drawn the mighty by His power, He rises, and none believes in life.
He taketh away the mighty by his power; He riseth up, and no one is sure of life.
23 He gives to him confidence, and he is supported, And His eyes [are] on their ways.
God giveth them security, so that they are confident; 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 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 And if not now, who proves me a liar, And makes my word of nothing?”
If it be not so, who will confute me, And show my discourse to be worthless?
