איוב 24

1 מדוע--משדי לא-נצפנו עתים וידעו לא-חזו ימיו

Why are times not stored up by the Ruler of all, and why do those who have knowledge of him not see his days?

2 גבלות ישיגו עדר גזלו וירעו

The landmarks are changed by evil men, they violently take away flocks, together with their keepers.

3 חמור יתומים ינהגו יחבלו שור אלמנה

They send away the ass of him who has no father, they take the widow's ox for debt.

4 יטו אבינים מדרך יחד חבאו עניי-ארץ

The crushed are turned out of the way; all the poor of the earth go into a secret place together.

5 הן פראים במדבר-- יצאו בפעלם משחרי לטרף ערבה לו לחם לנערים

Like asses in the waste land they go out to their work, looking for food with care; from the waste land they get bread for their children.

6 בשדה בלילו יקצירו (יקצורו) וכרם רשע ילקשו

They get mixed grain from the field, and they take away the late fruit from the vines of those who have wealth.

7 ערום ילינו מבלי לבוש ואין כסות בקרה

They take their rest at night without clothing, and have no cover in the cold.

8 מזרם הרים ירטבו ומבלי מחסה חבקו-צור

They are wet with the rain of the mountains, and get into the cracks of the rock for cover.

9 יגזלו משד יתום ועל-עני יחבלו

The child without a father is forced from its mother's breast, and they take the young children of the poor for debt.

10 ערום הלכו בלי לבוש ורעבים נשאו עמר

Others go about without clothing, and though they have no food, they get in the grain from the fields.

11 בין-שורתם יצהירו יקבים דרכו ויצמאו

Between the lines of olive-trees they make oil; though they have no drink, they are crushing out the grapes.

12 מעיר מתים ינאקו-- ונפש-חללים תשוע ואלוה לא-ישים תפלה

From the town come sounds of pain from those who are near death, and the soul of the wounded is crying out for help; but God does not take note of their prayer.

13 המה היו--במרדי-אור לא-הכירו דרכיו ולא ישבו בנתיבתיו

Then there are those who are haters of the light, who have no knowledge of its ways, and do not go in them.

14 לאור יקום רוצח--יקטל-עני ואביון ובלילה יהי כגנב

He who is purposing death gets up before day, so that he may put to death the poor and those in need.

15 ועין נאף שמרה נשף לאמר-- לא-תשורני עין וסתר פנים ישים

And the man whose desire is for the wife of another is waiting for the evening, saying, No eye will see me; and he puts a cover on his face. And in the night the thief goes about;

16 חתר בחשך בתים יומם חתמו-למו לא-ידעו אור

In the dark he makes holes in the walls of houses: in the daytime they are shutting themselves up, they have no knowledge of the light.

17 כי יחדו בקר למו צלמות כי-יכיר בלהות צלמות

For the middle of the night is as morning to them, they are not troubled by the fear of the dark.

18 קל-הוא על-פני-מים-- תקלל חלקתם בארץ לא-יפנה דרך כרמים

They go quickly on the face of the waters; their heritage is cursed in the earth; the steps of the crusher of grapes are not turned to their vine-garden.

19 ציה גם-חם יגזלו מימי-שלג שאול חטאו (Sheol h7585)

Snow waters become dry with the heat: so do sinners go down into the underworld. (Sheol h7585)

20 ישכחהו רחם מתקו רמה-- עוד לא-יזכר ותשבר כעץ עולה

The public place of his town has no more knowledge of him, and his name has gone from the memory of men: he is rooted up like a dead tree.

21 רעה עקרה לא תלד ואלמנה לא ייטיב

He is not kind to the widow, and he has no pity for her child.

22 ומשך אבירים בכחו יקום ולא-יאמין בחיין

But God by his power gives long life to the strong; he gets up again, though he has no hope of life.

23 יתן-לו לבטח וישען ועיניהו על-דרכיהם

He takes away his fear of danger and gives him support; and his eyes are on his ways.

24 רומו מעט ואיננו והמכו ככל יקפצון וכראש שבלת ימלו

For a short time they are lifted up; then they are gone; they are made low, they are pulled off like fruit, and like the heads of grain they are cut off.

25 ואם-לא אפו מי יכזיבני וישם לאל מלתי

And if it is not so, now, who will make it clear that my words are false, and that what I say is of no value?