Job 24
1 “(Why does Almighty [God] not set a time when he will judge [evil people]?/I do not understand why Almighty [God does] not set a time when he will judge [evil people].) [RHQ] Those who know him never [RHQ] see him do that!
The times are not hidden from the Almighty; even those who know him, do not know his days.
2 [Some evil people] remove the markers of boundaries of [other people’s] land, [in order to steal their land]; they seize/steal [other people’s] sheep and put them in their own pastures.
Some have crossed the boundaries, plundered the flocks, and given them pasture.
3 [Some] (take away/steal) the donkeys that belong to orphans, and they take widow’s oxen to guarantee that the widows will pay back the money that they loaned to those widows.
They have driven away the donkey of orphans, and have taken the cow from the widow as collateral.
4 [Some] shove poor people off the road (OR, prevent poor people from (obtaining their rights/being treated justly)), and they force poor people to find places to hide from them.
They have undermined the way of the poor, and have pressed together the meek of the earth.
5 The result is that poor people have to search for food in the desert like wild donkeys do.
Others, like wild asses in the desert, go forth to their work; by watching for prey, they obtain bread for their children.
6 The poor people harvest left-over grain in other people’s fields, and gather grapes from vineyards that belong to wicked men.
They reap a field that is not their own, and they harvest a vineyard that they have taken by force.
7 During the night they have nothing to cover their bodies, nothing to keep them warm.
They send men away naked, having taken the clothing of those who have no covering in the cold;
8 When it rains on the mountains, the poor people become very wet, so they huddle under the rock ledges to be protected [from the rain].
these are wet with the mountain rain, and, having no covering, they embrace the rocks.
9 [Some evil men] snatch infants away from their widowed mothers [SYN], and they say ‘I will return your babies to you when you repay the money that I lent to you.’
They have used violence to deprive orphans, and they have robbed the poor common people.
10 But the poor people walk around with no clothes on; they are hungry while they are working to carry [other people’s] bundles of grain [to the places where their grain will be threshed].
From the naked and those who do not have enough clothing, and from the hungry, they have taken away sheaves of grain.
11 Poor people press olives to make [olive] oil; they tread on grapes [to make juice for wine], but [they are not allowed to drink any of it when] they become thirsty.
They take their midday rest among the stockpiles of those who, though they have trodden the winepresses, suffer thirst.
12 In the cities, people who are wounded and dying cry out [to God for help], but God does not heed their prayers.
In the cities, they caused the men to groan and the spirit of the wounded to cry out, and so God does not allow this to go unpunished.
13 Some wicked people avoid the light [because they do evil things in the dark]; they do not walk on roads that are lighted.
They have been rebellious against the light; they have not known his ways, nor have they returned by his paths.
14 Murderers steal things during the night, and then they arise before dawn in order that they may [go out again and] kill needy [DOU] people.
The killer of men rises at first light; he executes the destitute and the poor, but, in truth, he is like a thief in the night.
15 Those who want to commit adultery wait for twilight/evening; they say ‘I do not want anyone to see me,’ so they keep their faces covered.
The eye of the adulterer waits for darkness, saying, “No eye will see me,” and he covers his face.
16 It is during the night that robbers break into houses [to steal things], but during the day they hide because they want to avoid [being seen in] the light.
He passes through houses in the nighttime, just as they had agreed among themselves in the daytime; and they are ignorant of the light.
17 All of those [people] want to do their evil things at night, not in the morning [when it is light], because they are not afraid of [the things that happen during the] night that terrify others.”
If sunrise should suddenly appear, it is treated by them like the shadow of death; and they walk in darkness, as if in light.
18 “[But it is wicked people] who are swept/carried away by floods, and God curses the land that they own, and no one goes to work in their vineyards.
He is nimble on the surface of water. His place on land is to be accursed. May he not walk by way of the vineyards.
19 Just like the snow melts away when it is hot and there is no rain, those who have sinned disappear into the place where dead people are. (Sheol h7585)
May he cross from the snowy waters to excessive heat, and his sin, all the way to hell. (Sheol h7585)
20 Not even their mothers remember them now; wicked people are destroyed like trees that are cut down, and maggots eat their corpses.
Let mercy forget him. His charm is worms. Let him not be remembered, but instead be broken like an unfruitful tree.
21 They mistreat women who have been unable to give birth to children and women who no longer have children [to take care of them], and they never do good things for widows.
For he has fed on the barren, who does not bear fruit, and he has not done good to the widow.
22 But God, by his power, gets rid of mighty/influential people. God acts and causes the wicked people to die.
He has pulled down the strong by his strength, and, when he stands up, he will not have trust in his life.
23 God allows them to think that they are secure and safe, but he is watching [MTY] them all the time.
God has given him a place for repentance, and he abuses it with arrogance, but his eyes are upon his ways.
24 They prosper for a little while, and then [suddenly] they are gone; they disappear like weeds wither and die; they are like [SIM] stalks of grain that have been cut off.
They are lifted up for a little while, but they will not continue, and they will be brought low, just like all things, and they will be taken away, and, like the tops of the ears of grain, they will be crushed.
25 If this is not true, is there [RHQ] anyone who will show that I am a liar and prove that what I have said is not true?”
But, if this is not so, who is able to prove to me that I have lied and to place my words before God?
