Job 24
1The times are not hidden from the Almighty; even those who know him, do not know his days.
2Some have crossed the boundaries, plundered the flocks, and given them pasture.
3They have driven away the donkey of orphans, and have taken the cow from the widow as collateral.
4They have undermined the way of the poor, and have pressed together the meek of the earth.
5Others, like wild asses in the desert, go forth to their work; by watching for prey, they obtain bread for their children.
6They reap a field that is not their own, and they harvest a vineyard that they have taken by force.
7They send men away naked, having taken the clothing of those who have no covering in the cold;
8these are wet with the mountain rain, and, having no covering, they embrace the rocks.
9They have used violence to deprive orphans, and they have robbed the poor common people.
10From the naked and those who do not have enough clothing, and from the hungry, they have taken away sheaves of grain.
11They take their midday rest among the stockpiles of those who, though they have trodden the winepresses, suffer thirst.
12In 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.
13They have been rebellious against the light; they have not known his ways, nor have they returned by his paths.
14The 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.
15The eye of the adulterer waits for darkness, saying, “No eye will see me,” and he covers his face.
16He passes through houses in the nighttime, just as they had agreed among themselves in the daytime; and they are ignorant of the light.
17If sunrise should suddenly appear, it is treated by them like the shadow of death; and they walk in darkness, as if in light.
18He is nimble on the surface of water. His place on land is to be accursed. May he not walk by way of the vineyards.
19May he cross from the snowy waters to excessive heat, and his sin, all the way to hell.
20Let mercy forget him. His charm is worms. Let him not be remembered, but instead be broken like an unfruitful tree.
21For he has fed on the barren, who does not bear fruit, and he has not done good to the widow.
22He has pulled down the strong by his strength, and, when he stands up, he will not have trust in his life.
23God has given him a place for repentance, and he abuses it with arrogance, but his eyes are upon his ways.
24They 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.
25But, if this is not so, who is able to prove to me that I have lied and to place my words before God?
1Why, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that know him not see his days?
2Some remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks, and feed thereof.
3They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow’s ox for a pledge.
4They turn the needy out of the way: the poor of the earth hide themselves together.
5Behold, as wild asses in the desert, go they forth to their work; rising betimes for a prey: the wilderness yieldeth food for them and for their children.
6They reap every one his corn in the field: and they gather the vintage of the wicked.
7They cause the naked to lodge without clothing, that they have no covering in the cold.
8They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter.
9They pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor.
10They cause him to go naked without clothing, and they take away the sheaf from the hungry;
11Which make oil within their walls, and tread their winepresses, and suffer thirst.
12Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded crieth out: yet God layeth not folly to them.
13They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof.
14The murderer rising with the light killeth the poor and needy, and in the night is as a thief.
15The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth his face.
16In the dark they dig through houses, which they had marked for themselves in the daytime: they know not the light.
17For the morning is to them even as the shadow of death: if one know them, they are in the terrors of the shadow of death.
18He is swift as the waters; their portion is cursed in the earth: he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards.
19Drought and heat consume the snow waters: so doth the grave those which have sinned.
20The 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.
21He evil entreateth the barren that beareth not: and doeth not good to the widow.
22He draweth also the mighty with his power: he riseth up, and no man is sure of life.
23Though it be given him to be in safety, whereon he resteth; yet his eyes are upon their ways.
24They are exalted for a little while, but are gone and brought low; they are taken out of the way as all other, and cut off as the tops of the ears of corn.
25And if it be not so now, who will make me a liar, and make my speech nothing worth?