איוב 24

1 מַדּוּעַ מִשַּׁדַּי לֹא־נִצְפְּנוּ עִתִּים וְיֹדְעָו לֹא־חָזוּ יָמָֽיו׃

Wherefore, since from the Almighty times are not hid, have, his knowing ones, no vision of his days?

2 גְּבֻלוֹת יַשִּׂיגוּ עֵדֶר גָּזְלוּ וַיִּרְעֽוּ׃

Boundaries, men move back, flocks, they seize and consume;

3 חֲמוֹר יְתוֹמִים יִנְהָגוּ יַחְבְּלוּ שׁוֹר אַלְמָנָֽה׃

The ass of the fatherless, they drive off, they take in pledge the ox of the widow;

4 יַטּוּ אֶבְיֹנִים מִדָּרֶךְ יַחַד חֻבְּאוּ עֲנִיֵּי־אָֽרֶץ׃

They turn aside the needy out of the way, at once, are the humbled of the land made to hide themselves.

5 הֵן פְּרָאִים ׀ בַּמִּדְבָּר יָצְאוּ בְּפׇעֳלָם מְשַׁחֲרֵי לַטָּרֶף עֲרָבָה לוֹ לֶחֶם לַנְּעָרִֽים׃

Lo! [as] wild asses in the wilderness, they go forth with their work, eager seekers for prey, the waste plain, yieldeth them food for their young;

6 בַּשָּׂדֶה בְּלִילוֹ (יקצירו) [יִקְצוֹרוּ] וְכֶרֶם רָשָׁע יְלַקֵּֽשׁוּ׃

In the field—a man’s fodder, they cut down, and, the vineyard of the lawless, they strip of its late berries;

7 עָרוֹם יָלִינוּ מִבְּלִי לְבוּשׁ וְאֵין כְּסוּת בַּקָּרָֽה׃

Ill-clad, they are left to lodge without clothing, and have no covering in the cold;

8 מִזֶּרֶם הָרִים יִרְטָבוּ וּֽמִבְּלִי מַחְסֶה חִבְּקוּ־צֽוּר׃

With the sweeping rain of the mountains, are they wet, and, through having no shelter, they embrace a rock.

9 יִגְזְלוּ מִשֹּׁד יָתוֹם וְֽעַל־עָנִי יַחְבֹּֽלוּ׃

Men tear, from the breast, the fatherless, and, over the poor, they take a pledge;

10 עָרוֹם הִלְּכוּ בְּלִי לְבוּשׁ וּרְעֵבִים נָשְׂאוּ עֹֽמֶר׃

Naked, they go about without clothing, and, famished, they carry the sheaves;

11 בֵּין־שׁוּרֹתָם יַצְהִירוּ יְקָבִים דָּרְכוּ וַיִּצְמָֽאוּ׃

Between their walls, are they exposed to the sun, Wine-presses, they tread, and yet are thirsty;

12 מֵעִיר מְתִים ׀ יִנְאָקוּ וְנֶֽפֶשׁ־חֲלָלִים תְּשַׁוֵּעַ וֶאֱלוֹהַּ לֹֽא־יָשִׂים תִּפְלָֽה׃

Out of the city—out of the houses, they make outcry. and, the soul of the wounded, calleth for help, and, GOD, doth not regard it as foolish.

13 הֵמָּה ׀ הָיוּ בְּֽמֹרְדֵי ־ אוֹר לֹא־הִכִּירוּ דְרָכָיו וְלֹא יָשְׁבוּ בִּנְתִיבֹתָֽיו׃

They, have become rebels against the light, —they are not acquainted with the ways thereof, neither abide they in the paths thereof.

14 לָאוֹר יָקוּם רוֹצֵחַ יִֽקְטׇל־עָנִי וְאֶבְיוֹן וּבַלַּיְלָה יְהִי כַגַּנָּֽב׃

With the light, riseth the murderer, He slayeth the poor and needy, And, in the night, he becometh like a thief.

15 וְעֵין נֹאֵף ׀ שָׁמְרָֽה נֶשֶׁף לֵאמֹר לֹא־תְשׁוּרֵנִי עָיִן וְסֵתֶר פָּנִים יָשִֽׂים׃

And, the eye of the adulterer, watcheth for the evening twilight, saying, Not an eye will see me! A covering for the face, he putteth on;

16 חָתַר בַּחֹשֶׁךְ בָּתִּים יוֹמָם חִתְּמוּ־לָמוֹ לֹא־יָדְעוּ אֽוֹר׃

He breaketh, in the dark, into houses, —By day, they lock themselves in, They know not the light;

17 כִּי יַחְדָּו ׀ בֹּקֶר לָמוֹ צַלְמָוֶת כִּֽי־יַכִּיר בַּלְהוֹת צַלְמָֽוֶת׃

For, in the case of all such, morning to them is the death-shade, For, to be recognised, is a death-shade terror.

18 קַל־הוּא ׀ עַל־פְּנֵי־מַיִם תְּקֻלַּל חֶלְקָתָם בָּאָרֶץ לֹא־יִפְנֶה דֶּרֶךְ כְּרָמִֽים׃

Swift is he on the face of the waters, Speedily vanished their share in the land, He turneth not to the way of the vineyards.

19 צִיָּה גַם־חֹם יִגְזְלוּ מֵֽימֵי־שֶׁלֶג שְׁאוֹל חָטָֽאוּ׃ (Sheol h7585)

Drought and heat, steal away snow water, Hades, them who have sinned. (Sheol h7585)

20 יִשְׁכָּחֵהוּ רֶחֶם ׀ מְתָקוֹ רִמָּה עוֹד לֹֽא־יִזָּכֵר וַתִּשָּׁבֵר כָּעֵץ עַוְלָֽה׃

Maternal love shall forget him, the worm shall find him sweet, No more shall he be remembered, but perversity shall be shivered like a tree.

21 רֹעֶה עֲקָרָה לֹא תֵלֵד וְאַלְמָנָה לֹא יְיֵטִֽיב׃

He oppresseth the barren who beareth not, and, to the widow, he doeth not good;

22 וּמָשַׁךְ אַבִּירִים בְּכֹחוֹ יָקוּם וְֽלֹא־יַאֲמִין בַּֽחַיִּֽין׃

Yea he draggeth along the mighty by his strength, He riseth up, and none hath assurance of life;

23 יִתֶּן־לוֹ לָבֶטַח וְיִשָּׁעֵן וְעֵינֵיהוּ עַל־דַּרְכֵיהֶֽם׃

It is given him to be secure, and confident, yet, his eyes, are upon their ways.

24 רוֹמּוּ מְּעַט ׀ וְֽאֵינֶנּוּ וְֽהֻמְּכוּ כַּכֹּל יִקָּפְצוּן וּכְרֹאשׁ שִׁבֹּלֶת יִמָּֽלוּ׃

They are exalted a little, and are not, Yea having been laid low, like all men, are they gathered, Even as the top of an ear of corn, do they hang down.

25 וְאִם־לֹא אֵפוֹ מִי יַכְזִיבֵנִי וְיָשֵׂם לְאַל מִלָּתִֽי׃

But, if not, who then can convict me of falsehood? or make of no account my words?