Job 24
1 “Why are not times laid up by the Almighty? Why do not those who know him see his days?
Why are times not laid up by the Almighty? And why do not they that know Him see His days?
2 There are people who remove the landmarks. They violently take away flocks, and feed them.
There are that remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks, and feed them.
3 They drive away the donkey of the fatherless, and they take the widow’s ox for a pledge.
They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow's ox for a pledge.
4 They turn the needy out of the way. The poor of the earth all hide themselves.
They turn the needy out of the way; the poor of the earth hide themselves together.
5 Behold, as wild donkeys in the desert, they go out to their work, seeking diligently for food. The wilderness yields them bread for their children.
Behold, as wild asses in the wilderness they go forth to their work, seeking diligently for food; the desert yieldeth them bread for their children.
6 They cut their food in the field. They glean the vineyard of the wicked.
They cut his provender in the field; and they despoil the vineyard of the wicked.
7 They lie all night naked without clothing, and have no covering in the cold.
They lie all night naked without clothing, and have no covering in the cold.
8 They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for lack of a shelter.
They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter.
9 There are those who pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor,
There are that pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor;
10 so that they go around naked without clothing. Being hungry, they carry the sheaves.
So that they go about naked without clothing, and being hungry they carry the sheaves;
11 They make oil within the walls of these men. They tread wine presses, and suffer thirst.
They make oil within the rows of these men; they tread their winepresses, and suffer thirst.
12 From out of the populous city, men groan. The soul of the wounded cries out, yet God does not regard the folly.
From out of the populous city men groan, and the soul of the wounded crieth out; yet God imputeth it not for unseemliness.
13 “These are of those who rebel against the light. They do not know its ways, nor stay in its paths.
These are of them that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof.
14 The murderer rises with the light. He kills the poor and needy. In the night he is like a thief.
The murderer riseth with the light, to kill the poor and needy; and in the night he is as a thief.
15 The eye also of the adulterer waits for the twilight, saying, ‘No eye will see me.’ He disguises his face.
The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying: 'No eye shall see me'; and he putteth a covering on his face.
16 In the dark they dig through houses. They shut themselves up in the daytime. They do not know the light.
In the dark they dig through houses; they shut themselves up in the day-time; they know not the light.
17 For the morning is to all of them like thick darkness, for they know the terrors of the thick darkness.
For the shadow of death is to all of them as the morning; for they know the terrors of the shadow of death.
18 “They are foam on the surface of the waters. Their portion is cursed in the earth. They do not turn into the way of the vineyards.
He is swift upon the face of the waters; their portion is cursed in the earth; he turneth not by the way of the vineyards.
Drought and heat consume the snow waters; so doth the nether-world those that have sinned. (Sheol h7585)
20 The womb will forget him. The worm will feed sweetly on him. He will be no more remembered. Unrighteousness will be broken as a tree.
The womb forgetteth him; the worm feedeth sweetly on him; he shall be no more remembered; and unrighteousness is broken as a tree.
21 He devours the barren who do not bear. He shows no kindness to the widow.
He devoureth the barren that beareth not; and doeth not good to the widow.
22 Yet God preserves the mighty by his power. He rises up who has no assurance of life.
He draweth away the mighty also by his power; he riseth up, and he trusteth not his own life.
23 God gives them security, and they rest in it. His eyes are on their ways.
Though it be given him to be in safety, whereon he resteth, yet His eyes are upon their ways.
24 They are exalted; yet a little while, and they are gone. Yes, they are brought low, they are taken out of the way as all others, and are cut off as the tops of the ears of grain.
They are exalted for a little while, and they are gone; yea, they are brought low, they are gathered in as all others, and wither as the tops of the ears of corn.
25 If it is not so now, who will prove me a liar, and make my speech worth nothing?”
And if it be not so now, who will prove me a liar, and make my speech nothing worth?
