Job 24
1 Why are not times treasured up by the Almighty? And why do not they 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 They remove landmarks; They take away flocks by violence, and pasture them.
[Some] remove the landmarks: they violently take away flocks, and [their] feed.
3 They drive away the ass of the fatherless, And take the widow's ox for a pledge.
They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take 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 turn the needy out of the way: the poor of the earth hide themselves together.
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.
Behold, [as] wild asses in the desert, they go forth to their work; rising betimes for a prey: the wilderness [yieldeth] food for them [and] for [their] children.
6 In the fields they reap the harvest, And gather the vintage of the oppressor.
They reap [every one] his corn in the field: and they gather the vintage of the wicked.
7 They lodge naked, without clothing, And without covering from the cold.
They cause the naked to lodge without clothing, that [they have] no covering in the cold.
8 They are drenched with the mountain showers, And embrace the rock for want of shelter.
They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter.
9 The fatherless are torn from the breast, And the garment of the needy is taken for a pledge.
They pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor.
10 They go naked, without clothing, And carry the sheaf hungry.
They cause [him] to go naked without clothing, and they take away the sheaf [from] the hungry;
11 They make oil within their walls, And tread the wine-vat, yet suffer thirst.
[Who] make oil within their walls, [and] tread [their] wine-presses, and suffer thirst.
12 From anguish the dying groan, And the wounded cry aloud; And God regardeth not their prayer!
Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded crieth out: yet God layeth not folly [to them].
13 Others hate the light; They know not its ways, And abide not in its paths.
They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not its ways, nor abide in its paths.
14 With the light ariseth the murderer; He killeth the poor and needy; In the night he is as a thief.
The murderer rising with the light killeth the poor and needy, and in the night is 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 also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth [his] face.
16 In the dark they break into houses; In the daytime they shut themselves up; They are strangers to the light.
In the dark they dig through houses, [which] they had marked for themselves in the day-time: they know not the light.
17 The morning is to them the very shadow of death; They are familiar with the terrors of the shadow of death.
For the morning [is] to them even as the shades of death: if [one] knoweth [them], [they are in] the terrors of the shades of death.
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] swift as the waters; their portion is cursed in the earth: he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards.
Drouth and heat consume the snow-waters: [so doth] the grave [those who] have sinned. (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.
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 oppresseth the barren, that hath not borne, And doeth not good to the widow.
He oppresseth the barren [that] beareth not: and doeth not good to the widow.
22 He taketh away the mighty by his power; He riseth up, and no one is sure of life.
He draweth also the mighty with his power: he riseth up, and no [man] is sure of life.
23 God giveth them security, so that they are confident; His eyes are upon 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; —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 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 ears of corn.
25 If it be not so, who will confute me, And show my discourse to be worthless?
And if [it is] not [so] now, who will make me a liar, and make my speech of no worth?
