Job 24
1 Wherefore from the Mighty One Times have not been hidden, And those knowing Him have not seen His days.
Why are not times [of punishment] treasured up by the Almighty, and why do his adorers not see his days [of retribution]?
2 The borders they reach, A drove they have taken violently away, Yea, they do evil.
[The wicked] remove landmarks: they rob flocks, and feed them.
3 The ass of the fatherless they lead away, They take in pledge the ox of the widow,
They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take in pledge the widow's ox.
4 They turn aside the needy from the way, Together have hid the poor of the earth.
They chase the needy out of the highway: altogether hide themselves the poor of the earth.
5 Lo, wild asses in a wilderness, They have gone out about their work, Seeking early for prey, A mixture for himself — food for young ones.
Behold, as wild asses in the wilderness go they forth to their work, rising betimes after [their] prey: the desert yieldeth food for them and for their young men.
6 In a field his provender they reap, And the vineyard of the wicked they glean.
In the field they reap their food; and in the vineyard of the wicked they gather the fruit.
7 The naked they cause to lodge Without clothing. And there is no covering in the cold.
They cause [the poor] to spend the night naked, without clothing and without any covering in the cold.
8 From the inundation of hills they are wet, And without a refuge — have embraced a rock.
Through the sweeping rain of the mountains are they made wet, and for want of a shelter do they embrace the rock.
9 They take violently away From the breast the orphan, And on the poor they lay a pledge.
The others pluck from the breast the fatherless, and the garment of the poor they take in pledge.
10 Naked, they have gone without clothing, And hungry — have taken away a sheaf.
They cause him to go naked without clothing, and from the hungry they take away the sheaf:
11 Between their walls they make oil, Wine-presses they have trodden, and thirst.
Within their walls do they make oil, they tread their wine-presses, and suffer thirst.
12 Because of enmity men do groan, And the soul of pierced ones doth cry, And God doth not give praise.
Out of a populous city is groaning heard, and the soul of the deadly wounded crieth out: yet God regardeth it not as an offence.
13 They have been among rebellious ones of light, They have not discerned His ways, Nor abode in His paths.
Yon men are of those that rebel against the light: they know not its ways, nor abide in its paths.
14 At the light doth the murderer rise, He doth slay the poor and needy, And in the night he is as a thief.
With the earliest light riseth the murderer, he slayeth the poor and needy, and in the night he becometh like the thief.
15 And the eye of an adulterer Hath observed the twilight, Saying, 'No eye doth behold me.' And he putteth the face in secret.
And the eye of the adulterer watcheth for the twilight, saying, No eye will see me; and placeth a covering on his face.
16 He hath dug in the darkness — houses; By day they shut themselves up, They have not known light.
They break into houses in the dark, in the daytime they lock themselves in: they know not the light.
17 When together, morning [is] to them death shade, When he discerneth the terrors of death shade.
For to all of these alike is the morning as the shadow of death; for they are familiar with the terrors of the shadow of death.
18 Light he [is] on the face of the waters, Vilified is their portion in the earth, He turneth not the way of vineyards.
Swift are such men [to flee] on the face of the water; accursed is their field on the land; none of them turneth himself to the way, of the vineyards.
Drought and heat speedily consume the snow-waters: so doth the grave those who have sinned. (Sheol h7585)
20 Forget him doth the womb, Sweeten [on] him doth the worm, No more is he remembered, And broken as a tree is wickedness.
The mother that bore such a one will forget him; the worm will feed sweetly on him; he will be no more remembered; and like a tree will wickedness be broken.
21 Treating evil the barren [who] beareth not, And [to] the widow he doth no good,
He ill-treateth the barren that heareth not; and to the widow he acteth not well.
22 And hath drawn the mighty by his power, He riseth, and none believeth in life.
But he also draweth down the mighty with his power: he riseth up, no one is sure of life.
23 He giveth to him confidence, and he is supported, And his eyes [are] on their ways.
To such [God] granteth to be in safety, that he may find support; and His eyes are upon their ways.
24 High they were [for] a little, and they are not, And they have been brought low. As all [others] they are shut up, And as the head of an ear of corn cut off.
They are exalted; in but a little while they are no more; and they are brought down low: like all others are they gathered in, and like the top of the ear of corn are they cut off.
25 And if not now, who doth prove me a liar, And doth make of nothing my word?
But if it be not so, who will prove me a liar, and render nought my word?
