Job 24
1 Why are not times treasured up by the Almighty? And why do not they who know him see his days?
Times are not hid from the Almighty: but they that know him, know not his days.
2 They remove landmarks; They take away flocks by violence, and pasture them.
Some have removed landmarks, have taken away flocks by force, and fed them.
3 They drive away the ass of the fatherless, And take the widow's ox for a pledge.
They have driven away the ass of the fatherless, and have taken away the widow’s ox for a pledge.
4 They push the needy from the way; All the poor of the land are forced to hide themselves.
They have overturned the way of the poor, and have oppressed together the meek of the earth.
5 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.
Others like wild asses in the desert go forth to their work: by watching for a prey they get bread for their children.
6 In the fields they reap the harvest, And gather the vintage of the oppressor.
They reap the field that is not their own, and gather the vintage of his vineyard whom by violence they have oppressed.
7 They lodge naked, without clothing, And without covering from the cold.
They send men away naked, taking away their clothes who have no covering in the cold:
8 They are drenched with the mountain showers, And embrace the rock for want of shelter.
Who are wet, with the showers of the mountains, and having no covering embrace the stones.
9 The fatherless are torn from the breast, And the garment of the needy is taken for a pledge.
They have violently robbed the fatherless, and stripped the poor common people.
10 They go naked, without clothing, And carry the sheaf hungry.
From the naked and them that go without clothing, and from the hungry they have taken away the ears of corn.
11 They make oil within their walls, And tread the wine-vat, yet suffer thirst.
They have taken their rest at noon among the stores of them, who after having trodden the winepresses suffer thirst.
12 From anguish the dying groan, And the wounded cry aloud; And God regardeth not their prayer!
Out of the cities they have made men to groan, and the soul of the wounded hath cried out, and God doth not suffer it to pass unrevenged.
13 Others hate the light; They know not its ways, And abide not in its paths.
They have been rebellious to the light, they have not known his ways, neither have they returned by his paths.
14 With the light ariseth the murderer; He killeth the poor and needy; In the night he is as a thief.
The murderer riseth at the very break of day, he killeth the needy, and the poor man: but in the night he will be as a thief.
15 The eye of the adulterer watcheth for the twilight; He saith, “No eye will see me,” And putteth a mask upon his face.
The eye of the adulterer observeth darkness, saying: No eye shall see me: and he will cover his face.
16 In the dark they break into houses; In the daytime they shut themselves up; They are strangers to the light.
He diggeth through houses in the dark, as in the day they had appointed for themselves, and they have not known the light.
17 The morning is to them the very shadow of death; They are familiar with the terrors of the shadow of death.
If the morning suddenly appear, it is to them the shadow of death: and they walk in darkness as if it were in light.
18 Light are they on the face of the waters; They have an accursed portion in the earth; They come not near the vineyards.
He is light upon the face of the water: cursed be his portion on the earth, let him not walk by the way of the vineyards.
Let him pass from the snow waters to excessive heat, and his sin even to hell. (Sheol h7585)
20 His own mother forgetteth him; The worm feedeth sweetly on him; He is no more remembered, And iniquity is broken like a tree.
Let mercy forget him: may worms be his sweetness: let him be remembered no more, but be broken in pieces as an unfruitful tree.
21 He oppresseth the barren, that hath not borne, And doeth not good to the widow.
For he hath fed the barren that beareth not, and to the widow he hath done no good.
22 He taketh away the mighty by his power; He riseth up, and no one is sure of life.
He hath pulled down the strong by his might: and when he standeth up, he shall not trust to his life.
23 God giveth them security, so that they are confident; His eyes are upon their ways.
God hath given him place for penance, and he abuseth it unto pride: but his eyes are upon his ways.
24 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.
They are lifted up for a little while and shall not stand, and shall be brought down as all things, and shall be taken away, and as the tops of the ears of corn they shall be broken.
25 If it be not so, who will confute me, And show my discourse to be worthless?
And if it be not so, who can convince me that I have lied, and set my words before God?
