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

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

3 T hey drive away the ass of the fatherless; They take the widow's ox for a pledge.

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

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

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

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

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

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

10 S o that they go about naked without clothing, And being hungry they carry the sheaves.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

18 S wiftly 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.

19 D rought and heat consume the snow waters: So doth Sheol those that have sinned.

20 T he 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.

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

22 Y et God preserveth the mighty by his power: He riseth up that hath no assurance of life.

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

24 T hey 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.

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