Job 24
1 The times are not hidden from the Almighty; even those who know him, do not know his days.
But why have the seasons been hidden from the Lord,
2 Some have crossed the boundaries, plundered the flocks, and given them pasture.
while the ungodly have passed over the bound, carrying off the flock with the shepherd?
3 They have driven away the donkey of orphans, and have taken the cow from the widow as collateral.
They have led away, the ass of the fatherless, and taken the widow's ox for a pledge.
4 They have undermined the way of the poor, and have pressed 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 prey, they obtain 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 a field that is not their own, and they harvest a vineyard that they have taken by force.
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, having taken the clothing of those 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 these are wet with the mountain rain, and, having no covering, they embrace the rocks.
They are wet with the drops of the mountains: they have embraced the rock, because they had no shelter.
9 They have used violence to deprive orphans, and they have robbed the poor common people.
They have snatched the fatherless from the breast, and have afflicted the outcast.
10 From the naked and those who do not have enough clothing, and from the hungry, they have taken away sheaves of grain.
And they have wrongfully caused [others] to sleep without clothing, and taken away the morsel of the hungry.
11 They take their midday rest among the stockpiles of those who, though they have trodden the winepresses, suffer thirst.
They have unrighteously laid wait in narrow places, and have not known the righteous way.
12 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.
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 against the light; they have not known his ways, nor 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 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.
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 waits for darkness, saying, “No eye will see me,” and he covers 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 passes through houses in the nighttime, just as they had agreed among themselves in the daytime; and they are ignorant of the light.
In darkness he digs through houses: by day they conceal themselves securely: they know not the light.
17 If sunrise should suddenly appear, it is treated by them like the shadow of death; and they walk in darkness, as if 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 nimble on the surface of water. His place on land is to be accursed. May he not walk by 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.
19 May he cross from the snowy waters to excessive heat, and his sin, all the way to hell. (Sheol h7585)
[Let them be] withered upon the earth; for they have plundered the sheaves of the fatherless. (Sheol h7585)
20 Let mercy forget him. His charm is worms. Let him not be remembered, but instead be broken like 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 has fed on the barren, who does not bear fruit, and he has not done good to the widow.
For he has not treated the barren woman well, and has had no pity on a feeble woman.
22 He has pulled down the strong by his strength, and, when he stands up, he will not have trust in 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 has given him a place for repentance, and he abuses it with arrogance, 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, 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.
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 But, if this is not so, who is able to prove to me that I have lied and to place my words before God?
But if not, who is he that says I speak falsely, and will make my words of no account?
