Job 24

1Why are times not stored up by the Ruler of all, and why do those who have knowledge of him not see his days?

1Wherefore from the Mighty One Times have not been hidden, And those knowing Him have not seen His days.

2The landmarks are changed by evil men, they violently take away flocks, together with their keepers.

2The borders they reach, A drove they have taken violently away, Yea, they do evil.

3They send away the ass of him who has no father, they take the widow's ox for debt.

3The ass of the fatherless they lead away, They take in pledge the ox of the widow,

4The crushed are turned out of the way; all the poor of the earth go into a secret place together.

4They turn aside the needy from the way, Together have hid the poor of the earth.

5Like asses in the waste land they go out to their work, looking for food with care; from the waste land they get bread for their children.

5Lo, wild asses in a wilderness, They have gone out about their work, Seeking early for prey, A mixture for himself--food for young ones.

6They get mixed grain from the field, and they take away the late fruit from the vines of those who have wealth.

6In a field his provender they reap, And the vineyard of the wicked they glean.

7They take their rest at night without clothing, and have no cover in the cold.

7The naked they cause to lodge Without clothing. And there is no covering in the cold.

8They are wet with the rain of the mountains, and get into the cracks of the rock for cover.

8From the inundation of hills they are wet, And without a refuge--have embraced a rock.

9The child without a father is forced from its mother's breast, and they take the young children of the poor for debt.

9They take violently away From the breast the orphan, And on the poor they lay a pledge.

10Others go about without clothing, and though they have no food, they get in the grain from the fields.

10Naked, they have gone without clothing, And hungry--have taken away a sheaf.

11Between the lines of olive-trees they make oil; though they have no drink, they are crushing out the grapes.

11Between their walls they make oil, Wine-presses they have trodden, and thirst.

12From the town come sounds of pain from those who are near death, and the soul of the wounded is crying out for help; but God does not take note of their prayer.

12Because of enmity men do groan, And the soul of pierced ones doth cry, And God doth not give praise.

13Then there are those who are haters of the light, who have no knowledge of its ways, and do not go in them.

13They have been among rebellious ones of light, They have not discerned His ways, Nor abode in His paths.

14He who is purposing death gets up before day, so that he may put to death the poor and those in need.

14At the light doth the murderer rise, He doth slay the poor and needy, And in the night he is as a thief.

15And the man whose desire is for the wife of another is waiting for the evening, saying, No eye will see me; and he puts a cover on his face. And in the night the thief goes about;

15And the eye of an adulterer Hath observed the twilight, Saying, `No eye doth behold me.' And he putteth the face in secret.

16In the dark he makes holes in the walls of houses: in the daytime they are shutting themselves up, they have no knowledge of the light.

16He hath dug in the darkness--houses; By day they shut themselves up, They have not known light.

17For the middle of the night is as morning to them, they are not troubled by the fear of the dark.

17When together, morning <FI>is<Fi> to them death shade, When he discerneth the terrors of death shade.

18They go quickly on the face of the waters; their heritage is cursed in the earth; the steps of the crusher of grapes are not turned to their vine-garden.

18Light he <FI>is<Fi> on the face of the waters, Vilified is their portion in the earth, He turneth not the way of vineyards.

19Snow waters become dry with the heat: so do sinners go down into the underworld.

19Drought--also heat--consume snow-waters, Sheol <FI>those who<Fi> have sinned.

20The public place of his town has no more knowledge of him, and his name has gone from the memory of men: he is rooted up like a dead tree.

20Forget him doth the womb, Sweeten <FI>on<Fi> him doth the worm, No more is he remembered, And broken as a tree is wickedness.

21He is not kind to the widow, and he has no pity for her child.

21Treating evil the barren <FI>who<Fi> beareth not, And <FI>to<Fi> the widow he doth no good,

22But God by his power gives long life to the strong; he gets up again, though he has no hope of life.

22And hath drawn the mighty by his power, He riseth, and none believeth in life.

23He takes away his fear of danger and gives him support; and his eyes are on his ways.

23He giveth to him confidence, and he is supported, And his eyes <FI>are<Fi> on their ways.

24For a short time they are lifted up; then they are gone; they are made low, they are pulled off like fruit, and like the heads of grain they are cut off.

24High they were <FI>for<Fi> a little, and they are not, And they have been brought low. As all <FI>others<Fi> they are shut up, And as the head of an ear of corn cut off.

25And if it is not so, now, who will make it clear that my words are false, and that what I say is of no value?

25And if not now, who doth prove me a liar, And doth make of nothing my word?