Job 24

1 But why have the seasons been hidden from the Lord,

Why are not times treasured up by the Almighty? And why do not they who know him see his days?

2 while the ungodly have passed over the bound, carrying off the flock with the shepherd?

They remove landmarks; They take away flocks by violence, and pasture them.

3 They have led away, the ass of the fatherless, and taken the widow's ox for a pledge.

They drive away the ass of the fatherless, And take the widow's ox for a pledge.

4 They have turned aside the weak from the right way: and the meek of the earth have hidden themselves together.

They push the needy from the way; All the poor of the land are forced to hide themselves.

5 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.

Behold, like wild asses of the desert, they go forth to their work; They search for prey; The wilderness supplieth them food for their children.

6 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.

In the fields they reap the harvest, And gather the vintage of the oppressor.

7 They have caused many naked to sleep without clothes, and they have taken away the covering of their body.

They lodge naked, without clothing, And without covering from the cold.

8 They are wet with the drops of the mountains: they have embraced the rock, because they had no shelter.

They are drenched with the mountain showers, And embrace the rock for want of shelter.

9 They have snatched the fatherless from the breast, and have afflicted the outcast.

The fatherless are torn from the breast, And the garment of the needy is taken for a pledge.

10 And they have wrongfully caused [others] to sleep without clothing, and taken away the morsel of the hungry.

They go naked, without clothing, And carry the sheaf hungry.

11 They have unrighteously laid wait in narrow places, and have not known the righteous way.

They make oil within their walls, And tread the wine-vat, yet suffer thirst.

12 Who have cast forth [the] poor from the city and their own houses, and the soul of the children has groaned aloud.

From anguish the dying groan, And the wounded cry aloud; And God regardeth not their prayer!

13 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?

Others hate the light; They know not its ways, And abide not in its paths.

14 But having known their works, he delivered them into darkness: and in the night one will be as a thief:

With the light ariseth the murderer; He killeth the poor and needy; In the night he is as a thief.

15 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.

The eye of the adulterer watcheth for the twilight; He saith, “No eye will see me,” And putteth a mask upon his face.

16 In darkness he digs through houses: by day they conceal themselves securely: they know not the light.

In the dark they break into houses; In the daytime they shut themselves up; They are strangers to the light.

17 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.

The morning is to them the very shadow of death; They are familiar with the terrors of the shadow of death.

18 He is swift on the face of the water: let his portion be cursed on the earth; and let their plants be laid bare.

Light are they on the face of the waters; They have an accursed portion in the earth; They come not near the vineyards.

19 [Let them be] withered upon the earth; for they have plundered the sheaves of the fatherless. (Sheol h7585)

As drought and heat consume the snow waters, So doth the grave the wicked. (Sheol h7585)

20 Then is his sin brought to remembrance, and he vanishes like a vapor of dew: but let what he has done be recompensed to him, and let every unrighteous one be crushed like rotten wood.

His own mother forgetteth him; The worm feedeth sweetly on him; He is no more remembered, And iniquity is broken like a tree.

21 For he has not treated the barren woman well, and has had no pity on a feeble woman.

He oppresseth the barren, that hath not borne, And doeth not good to the widow.

22 And in wrath he has overthrown the helpless: therefore when he has arisen, [a man] will not feel secure of his own life.

He taketh away the mighty by his power; He riseth up, and no one is sure of life.

23 When he has fallen sick, let him not hope to recover: but let him perish by disease.

God giveth them security, so that they are confident; His eyes are upon their ways.

24 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.

They are exalted; —in a little while they are gone! They are brought low, and die, like all others; And like the topmost ears of corn are they cut off.

25 But if not, who is he that says I speak falsely, and will make my words of no account?

If it be not so, who will confute me, And show my discourse to be worthless?