Job 24
1 Why, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that know him not see his days?
Why are times for judging wicked people not set by the Almighty? Why do not those who are faithful to God see his days of judgment come?
2 [Some] remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks, and feed [thereof].
There are wicked people who remove boundary markers; there are wicked people who take away flocks by force and put them in their own pastures.
3 They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow’s ox for a pledge.
They drive away the donkey of those without fathers; they take the widow's ox as security.
4 They turn the needy out of the way: the poor of the earth hide themselves together.
They force needy people out of their path; poor people of the earth all hide themselves from them.
5 Behold, [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.
See, these poor people go out to their work like wild donkeys in the wilderness, looking carefully for food; perhaps the Arabah will provide them food for their children.
6 They reap [every one] his corn in the field: and they gather the vintage of the wicked.
Poor people reap in the night in other people's fields; they glean grapes from the harvest of those wicked people.
7 They cause the naked to lodge without clothing, that [they have] no covering in the cold.
They lie naked all night without clothing; they have no covering in the cold.
8 They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter.
They are wet with the showers of the mountains; they lie next to large rocks because they have no shelter.
9 They pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor.
There are wicked people who pluck orphans from their mothers' breast, and wicked people who take children as security from poor people.
10 They cause [him] to go naked without clothing, and they take away the sheaf [from] the hungry;
But the poor people go about naked without clothing; although they go hungry, they carry bundles of grain belonging to other people.
11 [Which] make oil within their walls, [and] tread [their] winepresses, and suffer thirst.
The poor people make oil within the walls of those wicked men; they tread the wicked men's winepresses, but they themselves suffer thirst.
12 Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded crieth out: yet God layeth not folly [to them].
From out of the city the dying groan, and the throat of the wounded cries out for help. But God does not ascribe blame
13 They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof.
Some of these wicked people rebel against the light; they know not its ways, nor do they stay in its paths.
14 The murderer rising with the light killeth the poor and needy, and in the night is as a thief.
Before daylight the murderer rises and he kills poor and needy people; in the night he is like a thief.
15 The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth [his] face.
Also, the eye of the adulterer waits for the twilight; he says, 'No eye will see me.' He disguises his face.
16 In the dark they dig through houses, [which] they had marked for themselves in the daytime: they know not the light.
In the darkness wicked people dig into houses; but they shut themselves up in the daytime; they do not care for the light.
17 For 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.
For all of them, thick darkness is like the morning; for they are friends with the terrors of thick darkness.
18 He [is] swift as the waters; their portion is cursed in the earth: he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards.
Swiftly they pass away, however, like foam on the surface of the waters; their portion of the land is cursed; no one goes to work in their vineyards.
19 Drought and heat consume the snow waters: [so doth] the grave [those which] have sinned. (Sheol h7585)
As drought and heat melt away the snow into waters, so Sheol takes away those who have sinned. (Sheol h7585)
20 The 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.
The womb that bore him will forget him; the worm will feed sweetly on him; he will be remembered no more; in this way, wickedness will be broken like a tree.
21 He evil entreateth the barren [that] beareth not: and doeth not good to the widow.
The wicked one devours the barren women who have not borne children; he does no good to the widow.
22 He draweth also the mighty with his power: he riseth up, and no [man] is sure of life.
Yet God drags away the mighty people by his power; he rises up and does not strengthen them in life.
23 [Though] it be given him [to be] in safety, whereon he resteth; yet his eyes [are] upon their ways.
God allows them to think they are secure, and they are happy about that, but his eyes are on their ways.
24 They 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.
These people are exalted; still, in only a little while, they will be gone; indeed, they will be brought low; they will be gathered up like all the others; they will be cut off like the tops of ears of grain.
25 And if [it be] not [so] now, who will make me a liar, and make my speech nothing worth?
If it is not so, who can prove me to be a liar; who can make my speech worth nothing?”
