Job 24
1 Times are not hid from the Almighty: but they that know him, know not his days.
But why have the seasons been hidden from the Lord,
2 Some have removed landmarks, have taken away flocks by force, and fed them.
while the ungodly have passed over the bound, carrying off the flock with the shepherd?
3 They have driven away the ass of the fatherless, and have taken away the widow’s ox for a pledge.
They have led away, the ass of the fatherless, and taken the widow's ox for a pledge.
4 They have overturned the way of the poor, and have oppressed together the meek of the earth.
They have turned aside the weak from the right way: and the meek of the earth have hidden themselves together.
5 Others like wild asses in the desert go forth to their work: by watching for a prey they get bread for their children.
And they have departed like asses in the field, having gone forth on my account according to their own order: his bread is sweet to [his] little ones.
6 They reap the field that is not their own, and gather the vintage of his vineyard whom by violence they have oppressed.
They have reaped a field that was not their own before the time: the poor have laboured in the vineyards of the ungodly without pay and without food.
7 They send men away naked, taking away their clothes who have no covering in the cold:
They have caused many naked to sleep without clothes, and they have taken away the covering of their body.
8 Who are wet, with the showers of the mountains, and having no covering embrace the stones.
They are wet with the drops of the mountains: they have embraced the rock, because they had no shelter.
9 They have violently robbed the fatherless, and stripped the poor common people.
They have snatched the fatherless from the breast, and have afflicted the outcast.
10 From the naked and them that go without clothing, and from the hungry they have taken away the ears of corn.
And they have wrongfully caused [others] to sleep without clothing, and taken away the morsel of the hungry.
11 They have taken their rest at noon among the stores of them, who after having trodden the winepresses suffer thirst.
They have unrighteously laid wait in narrow places, and have not known the righteous way.
12 Out of the cities they have made men to groan, and the soul of the wounded hath cried out, and God doth not suffer it to pass unrevenged.
Who have cast forth [the] poor from the city and their own houses, and the soul of the children has groaned aloud.
13 They have been rebellious to the light, they have not known his ways, neither have they returned by his paths.
Why then has he not visited these? forasmuch as they were upon the earth, and took no notice, and they knew not the way of righteousness, neither have they walked in their [appointed] paths?
14 The murderer riseth at the very break of day, he killeth the needy, and the poor man: but in the night he will be as a thief.
But having known their works, he delivered them into darkness: and in the night one will be as a thief:
15 The eye of the adulterer observeth darkness, saying: No eye shall see me: and he will cover his face.
and the eye of the adulterer has watched [for] the darkness, saying, Eye shall not perceive me, and he puts a covering on his face.
16 He diggeth through houses in the dark, as in the day they had appointed for themselves, and they have not known the light.
In darkness he digs through houses: by day they conceal themselves securely: they know not the light.
17 If the morning suddenly appear, it is to them the shadow of death: and they walk in darkness as if it were in light.
For the morning is to them all [as] the shadow of death, for [each] will be conscious of the terror of the shadow of death.
18 He is light upon the face of the water: cursed be his portion on the earth, let him not walk by the way of the vineyards.
He is swift on the face of the water: let his portion be cursed on the earth; and let their plants be laid bare.
[Let them be] withered upon the earth; for they have plundered the sheaves of the fatherless. (Sheol h7585)
20 Let mercy forget him: may worms be his sweetness: let him be remembered no more, but be broken in pieces as an unfruitful tree.
Then is his sin brought to remembrance, and he vanishes like a vapour of dew: but let what he has done be recompensed to him, and let every unrighteous one be crushed like rotten wood.
21 For he hath fed the barren that beareth not, and to the widow he hath done no good.
For he has not treated the barren woman well, and has had no pity on a feeble woman.
22 He hath pulled down the strong by his might: and when he standeth up, he shall not trust to his life.
And in wrath he has overthrown the helpless: therefore when he has arisen, [a man] will not feel secure of his own life.
23 God hath given him place for penance, and he abuseth it unto pride: but his eyes are upon his ways.
When he has fallen sick, let him not hope to recover: but let him perish by disease.
24 They are lifted up for a little while and shall not stand, and shall be brought down as all things, and shall be taken away, and as the tops of the ears of corn they shall be broken.
For his exaltation has hurt many; but he has withered as mallows in the heat, or as an ear of corn falling off of itself from the stalk.
25 And if it be not so, who can convince me that I have lied, and set my words before God?
But if not, who is he that says I speak falsely, and will make my words of no account?
