< Job 24 >
1 "Why aren't times made known by Shaddai? Why do not those who know him see his days?
Why, seeing times are not hid from the Almighty, do they that know him not see his days?
2 There are people who remove the landmarks. They violently take away flocks, and feed them.
Some remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks, and their feed.
3 They drive away the donkey of the fatherless, and they take the widow's ox for a pledge.
They drive away the donkey of the fatherless, they take the widow’s ox for a pledge.
4 They turn the needy out of the way. The poor of the earth all hide themselves.
They turn the needy out of the way: the poor of the earth hide themselves together.
5 Look, as wild donkeys in the desert, they go forth to their work, seeking diligently for food. The wilderness yields them bread for their children.
Behold, as wild donkeys in the desert, they go forth to their work; rising early for a prey: the wilderness yieldeth food for them and for their children.
6 They cut their provender in the field. They glean the vineyard of the wicked.
They reap every one his grain in the field: and they gather the vintage of the wicked.
7 They lie all night naked without clothing, and have no covering in the cold.
They cause the naked to lodge without clothing, that they have no covering in the cold.
8 They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for lack of a shelter.
They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter.
9 There are those who pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor,
They pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor.
10 So that they go around naked without clothing. Being hungry, they carry the sheaves.
They cause him to go naked without clothing, and they take away the sheaf from the hungry;
11 They make oil within the walls of these men. They tread wine presses, and suffer thirst.
Who make oil within their walls, and tread their winepresses, and suffer thirst.
12 From out of the populous city, men groan. The soul of the wounded cries out, yet God doesn't regard the folly.
Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded crieth out: yet God layeth not folly to them.
13 "These are of those who rebel against the light. They do not know its ways, nor abide in its paths.
They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not its ways, nor abide in its paths.
14 The murderer rises with the light. He kills the poor and needy. In the night he is like a thief.
The murderer rising with the light killeth the poor and needy, and in the night is as a thief.
15 The eye also of the adulterer waits for the twilight, saying, 'No eye shall see me.' He disguises his face.
The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth his face.
16 In the dark they dig through houses. They shut themselves up in the daytime. They do not know the light.
In the dark they dig through houses, which they had marked for themselves in the daytime: they know not the light.
17 For the morning is to all of them like thick darkness, for they know the terrors of the thick darkness.
For the morning is to them even as the shadow of death: if one knoweth them, they are in the terrors of the shadow of death.
18 "They are foam on the surface of the waters. Their portion is cursed in the earth. They do not turn into the way of the vineyards.
He is swift as the waters; their portion is cursed in the earth: he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards.
19 Drought and heat consume the snow waters, so does Sheol those who have sinned. (Sheol )
Drought and heat consume the snow waters: so doth the grave those who have sinned. (Sheol )
20 The womb shall forget him. The worm shall feed sweetly on him. He shall be no more remembered. Unrighteousness shall be broken as a tree.
The womb shall forget him; the worm shall feed sweetly on him; he shall be no more remembered; and wickedness shall be broken as a tree.
21 He devours the barren who do not bear. He shows no kindness to the widow.
He wrongeth the barren that beareth not: and doeth not good to the widow.
22 Yet he preserves the mighty by his power. He rises up who has no assurance of life.
He draweth also the mighty with his power: he riseth up, and no man is sure of life.
23 He gives them security, and they rest in it. His eyes are on their ways.
Though it is given him to be in safety, on which he resteth; yet his eyes are upon their ways.
24 They are exalted; yet a little while, and they are gone. Yes, they are brought low, they are taken out of the way as all others, and are cut off as the tops of the ears of grain.
They are exalted for a little while, but are gone and brought low; they are taken out of the way as all others, and cut off as the tops of the heads of grain.
25 If it isn't so now, who will prove me a liar, and make my speech worth nothing?"
And if it is not so now, who will make me a liar, and make my speech of no worth?