Job 24
1 Why are not times treasured up by the Almighty? And why do not they who know him see his days?
The times are not hidden from the Almighty; even those who know him, do not know his days.
2 They remove landmarks; They take away flocks by violence, and pasture them.
Some have crossed the boundaries, plundered the flocks, and given them pasture.
3 They drive away the ass of the fatherless, And take the widow's ox for a pledge.
They have driven away the donkey of orphans, and have taken the cow from the widow as collateral.
4 They push the needy from the way; All the poor of the land are forced to hide themselves.
They have undermined the way of the poor, and have pressed together the meek of the earth.
5 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.
Others, like wild asses in the desert, go forth to their work; by watching for prey, they obtain bread for their children.
6 In the fields they reap the harvest, And gather the vintage of the oppressor.
They reap a field that is not their own, and they harvest a vineyard that they have taken by force.
7 They lodge naked, without clothing, And without covering from the cold.
They send men away naked, having taken the clothing of those who have no covering in the cold;
8 They are drenched with the mountain showers, And embrace the rock for want of shelter.
these are wet with the mountain rain, and, having no covering, they embrace the rocks.
9 The fatherless are torn from the breast, And the garment of the needy is taken for a pledge.
They have used violence to deprive orphans, and they have robbed the poor common people.
10 They go naked, without clothing, And carry the sheaf hungry.
From the naked and those who do not have enough clothing, and from the hungry, they have taken away sheaves of grain.
11 They make oil within their walls, And tread the wine-vat, yet suffer thirst.
They take their midday rest among the stockpiles of those who, though they have trodden the winepresses, suffer thirst.
12 From anguish the dying groan, And the wounded cry aloud; And God regardeth not their prayer!
In 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.
13 Others hate the light; They know not its ways, And abide not in its paths.
They have been rebellious against the light; they have not known his ways, nor have they returned by his paths.
14 With the light ariseth the murderer; He killeth the poor and needy; In the night he is as a thief.
The 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.
15 The eye of the adulterer watcheth for the twilight; He saith, “No eye will see me,” And putteth a mask upon his face.
The eye of the adulterer waits for darkness, saying, “No eye will see me,” and he covers his face.
16 In the dark they break into houses; In the daytime they shut themselves up; They are strangers to the light.
He passes through houses in the nighttime, just as they had agreed among themselves in the daytime; and they are ignorant of the light.
17 The morning is to them the very shadow of death; They are familiar with the terrors of the shadow of death.
If sunrise should suddenly appear, it is treated by them like the shadow of death; and they walk in darkness, as if in light.
18 Light are they on the face of the waters; They have an accursed portion in the earth; They come not near the vineyards.
He is nimble on the surface of water. His place on land is to be accursed. May he not walk by way of the vineyards.
May he cross from the snowy waters to excessive heat, and his sin, all the way to hell. (Sheol h7585)
20 His own mother forgetteth him; The worm feedeth sweetly on him; He is no more remembered, And iniquity is broken like a tree.
Let mercy forget him. His charm is worms. Let him not be remembered, but instead be broken like an unfruitful tree.
21 He oppresseth the barren, that hath not borne, And doeth not good to the widow.
For he has fed on the barren, who does not bear fruit, and he has not done good to the widow.
22 He taketh away the mighty by his power; He riseth up, and no one is sure of life.
He has pulled down the strong by his strength, and, when he stands up, he will not have trust in his life.
23 God giveth them security, so that they are confident; His eyes are upon their ways.
God has given him a place for repentance, and he abuses it with arrogance, but his eyes are upon his ways.
24 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.
They 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.
25 If it be not so, who will confute me, And show my discourse to be worthless?
But, if this is not so, who is able to prove to me that I have lied and to place my words before God?
