Job 24

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

¹⁷ When together, morning [is] to them death shade, When he discerneth the terrors of death shade.

¹⁸ Light he [is] on the face of the waters, Vilified is their portion in the earth, He turneth not the way of vineyards.

¹⁹ Drought — also heat — consume snow-waters, Sheol [those who] have sinned.

²⁰ Forget him doth the womb, Sweeten [on] him doth the worm, No more is he remembered, And broken as a tree is wickedness.

²¹ Treating evil the barren [who] beareth not, And [to] the widow he doth no good,

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

²³ He giveth to him confidence, and he is supported, And his eyes [are] on their ways.

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

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