Job — Chapter 24

1“Why does the Almighty not reserve times for judgment? Why may those who know Him never see His days?

2Men move boundary stones; they pasture stolen flocks.

3They drive away the donkey of the fatherless and take the widow’s ox in pledge.

4They push the needy off the road and force all the poor of the land into hiding.

5Indeed, like wild donkeys in the desert, the poor go to work foraging for food; the wasteland is food for their children.

6They gather fodder in the fields and glean the vineyards of the wicked.

7Without clothing, they spend the night naked; they have no covering against the cold.

8Drenched by mountain rains, they huddle against the rocks for want of shelter.

9The fatherless infant is snatched from the breast; the nursing child of the poor is seized for a debt.

10Without clothing, they wander about naked. They carry the sheaves, but still go hungry.

11They crush olives within their walls; they tread the winepresses, but go thirsty.

12From the city, men groan, and the souls of the wounded cry out, yet God charges no one with wrongdoing.

13Then there are those who rebel against the light, not knowing its ways or staying on its paths.

14When daylight is gone, the murderer rises to kill the poor and needy; in the night he is like a thief.

15The eye of the adulterer watches for twilight. Thinking, ‘No eye will see me,’ he covers his face.

16In the dark they dig through houses; by day they shut themselves in, never to experience the light.

17For to them, deep darkness is their morning; surely they are friends with the terrors of darkness!

18They are but foam on the surface of the water; their portion of the land is cursed, so that no one turns toward their vineyards.

19As drought and heat consume the melting snow, so Sheol steals those who have sinned.

20The womb forgets them; the worm feeds on them; they are remembered no more. So injustice is broken like a tree.

21They prey on the barren and childless, and show no kindness to the widow.

22Yet by His power, God drags away the mighty; though rising up, they have no assurance of life.

23He gives them a sense of security, but His eyes are on their ways.

24They are exalted for a moment, then they are gone; they are brought low and gathered up like all others; they are cut off like heads of grain.

25If this is not so, then who can prove me a liar and reduce my words to nothing?”

1Why, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that know him not see his days?

2Some remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks, and feed thereof.

3They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow’s ox for a pledge.

4They turn the needy out of the way: the poor of the earth hide themselves together.

5Behold, 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.

6They reap every one his corn in the field: and they gather the vintage of the wicked.

7They cause the naked to lodge without clothing, that they have no covering in the cold.

8They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter.

9They pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor.

10They cause him to go naked without clothing, and they take away the sheaf from the hungry;

11Which make oil within their walls, and tread their winepresses, and suffer thirst.

12Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded crieth out: yet God layeth not folly to them.

13They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof.

14The murderer rising with the light killeth the poor and needy, and in the night is as a thief.

15The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth his face.

16In the dark they dig through houses, which they had marked for themselves in the daytime: they know not the light.

17For 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.

18He is swift as the waters; their portion is cursed in the earth: he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards.

19Drought and heat consume the snow waters: so doth the grave those which have sinned.

20The 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.

21He evil entreateth the barren that beareth not: and doeth not good to the widow.

22He draweth also the mighty with his power: he riseth up, and no man is sure of life.

23Though it be given him to be in safety, whereon he resteth; yet his eyes are upon their ways.

24They 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.

25And if it be not so now, who will make me a liar, and make my speech nothing worth?

1Why are times not laid up by the Almighty? And why do not they that know him see his days?

2There are that remove the landmarks; They violently take away flocks, and feed them.

3They drive away the ass of the fatherless; They take the widow`s ox for a pledge.

4They turn the needy out of the way: The poor of the earth all hide themselves.

5Behold, as wild asses in the desert They go forth to their work, seeking diligently for food; The wilderness [yieldeth] them bread for their children.

6They cut their provender in the field; And they glean the vintage of the wicked.

7They lie all night naked without clothing, And have no covering in the cold.

8They are wet with the showers of the mountains, And embrace the rock for want of a shelter.

9There are that pluck the fatherless from the breast, And take a pledge of the poor;

10[So that] they go about naked without clothing, And being hungry they carry the sheaves.

11They make oil within the walls of these men; They tread [their] winepresses, and suffer thirst.

12From out of the populous city men groan, And the soul of the wounded crieth out: Yet God regardeth not the folly.

13These are of them that rebel against the light; They know not the ways thereof, Nor abide in the paths thereof.

14The murderer riseth with the light; He killeth the poor and needy; And in the night he is as a thief.

15The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, Saying, No eye shall see me: And he disguiseth his face.

16In the dark they dig through houses: They shut themselves up in the day-time; They know not the light.

17For the morning is to all of them as thick darkness; For they know the terrors of the thick darkness.

18Swiftly they [pass away] upon the face of the waters; Their portion is cursed in the earth: They turn not into the way of the vineyards.

19Drought and heat consume the snow waters: [So doth] Sheol [those that] have sinned.

20The womb shall forget him; The worm shall feed sweetly on him; He shall be no more remembered; And unrighteousness shall be broken as a tree.

21He devoureth the barren that beareth not, And doeth not good to the widow.

22Yet [God] preserveth the mighty by his power: He riseth up that hath no assurance of life.

23[God] giveth them to be in security, and they rest thereon; And his eyes are upon their ways.

24They are exalted; yet a little while, and they are gone; Yea, they are brought low, they are taken out of the way as all others, And are cut off as the tops of the ears of grain.

25And if it be not so now, who will prove me a liar, And make my speech nothing worth?

1“Why are times not appointed by the Almighty? Why do those who know him not see his days?

2Men move boundary stones; they seize the flock and pasture them.

3They drive away the orphan’s donkey; they take the widow’s ox as a pledge.

4They turn the needy from the pathway, and the poor of the land hide themselves together.

5Like wild donkeys in the wilderness, they go out to their labor seeking diligently for food; the arid rift valley provides food for them and for their children.

6They reap fodder in the field and glean in the vineyard of the wicked.

7They spend the night naked because they lack clothing; they have no covering against the cold.

8They are soaked by mountain rains and huddle in the rocks because they lack shelter.

9The fatherless child is snatched from the breast; the infant of the poor is taken as a pledge.

10They go about naked, without clothing, and go hungry while they carry the sheaves.

11They press out the olive oil between the rows of olive trees; they tread the winepresses while they are thirsty.

12From the city the dying groan, and the wounded cry out for help, but God charges no one with wrongdoing.

13There are those who rebel against the light; they do not know its ways, and they do not stay on its paths.

14Before daybreak the murderer rises up; he kills the poor and the needy; in the night he is like a thief.

15And the eye of the adulterer watches for the twilight, thinking, ‘No eye can see me,’ and covers his face with a mask.

16In the dark the robber breaks into houses, but by day they shut themselves in; they do not know the light.

17For all of them, the morning is to them like deep darkness; they are friends with the terrors of darkness.

18You say, ‘He is foam on the face of the waters; their portion of the land is cursed so that no one goes to their vineyard.

19The drought as well as the heat snatch up the melted snow; so the grave snatches up the sinner.

20The womb forgets him, the worm feasts on him, no longer will he be remembered. Like a tree, wickedness will be broken down.

21He preys on the barren and childless woman and does not treat the widow well.

22But God drags off the mighty by his power; when God rises up against him, he has no faith in his life.

23God may let them rest in a feeling of security, but he is constantly watching all their ways.

24They are exalted for a little while, and then they are gone; they are brought low like all others and gathered in, and like a head of grain they are cut off.’

25“If this is not so, who can prove me a liar and reduce my words to nothing?”

1“Why aren’t times laid up by the Almighty? Why don’t those who know him see his days?

2There are people who remove the landmarks. They violently take away flocks, and feed them.

3They drive away the donkey of the fatherless, and they take the widow’s ox for a pledge.

4They turn the needy out of the way. The poor of the earth all hide themselves.

5Behold, as wild donkeys in the desert, they go out to their work, seeking diligently for food. The wilderness yields them bread for their children.

6They cut their food in the field. They glean the vineyard of the wicked.

7They lie all night naked without clothing, and have no covering in the cold.

8They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for lack of a shelter.

9There are those who pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor,

10So that they go around naked without clothing. Being hungry, they carry the sheaves.

11They make oil within the walls of these men. They tread wine presses, and suffer thirst.

12From out of the populous city, men groan. The soul of the wounded cries out, yet God doesn’t regard the folly.

13“These are of those who rebel against the light. They don’t know its ways, nor stay in its paths.

14The murderer rises with the light. He kills the poor and needy. In the night he is like a thief.

15The eye also of the adulterer waits for the twilight, saying, ‘No eye shall see me.’ He disguises his face.

16In the dark they dig through houses. They shut themselves up in the daytime. They don’t know the light.

17For the morning is to all of them like thick darkness, for they know the terrors of the thick darkness.

18“They are foam on the surface of the waters. Their portion is cursed in the earth. They don’t turn into the way of the vineyards.

19Drought and heat consume the snow waters, so does Sheol those who have sinned.

20The womb shall forget him. The worm shall feed sweetly on him. He shall be no more remembered. Unrighteousness shall be broken as a tree.

21He devours the barren who don’t bear. He shows no kindness to the widow.

22Yet God preserves the mighty by his power. He rises up who has no assurance of life.

23God gives them security, and they rest in it. His eyes are on their ways.

24They are exalted; yet a little while, and they are gone. Yes, they are brought low, they are taken out of the way as all others, and are cut off as the tops of the ears of grain.

25If it isn’t so now, who will prove me a liar, and make my speech worth nothing?”