Job 24 ~ Job 24

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1 Why are times not stored up by the Almighty, And why do those who know Him not see His days?

“ Since times are not hidden from the Almighty, Why do those who know Him see not His days?

2 Some remove the landmarks; They seize and devour flocks.

“ Some remove landmarks; They seize flocks violently and feed on them;

3 They drive away the donkeys of the orphans; They take the widow’s ox for a pledge.

They drive away the donkey of the fatherless; They take the widow’s ox as a pledge.

4 They push the needy aside from the road; The poor of the land are made to hide themselves altogether.

They push the needy off the road; All the poor of the land are forced to hide.

5 Behold, as wild donkeys in the wilderness They go forth seeking food in their activity, As bread for their children in the desert.

Indeed, like wild donkeys in the desert, They go out to their work, searching for food. The wilderness yields food for them and for their children.

6 They harvest their fodder in the field And glean the vineyard of the wicked.

They gather their fodder in the field And glean in the vineyard of the wicked.

7 They spend the night naked, without clothing, And have no covering against the cold.

They spend the night naked, without clothing, And have no covering in the cold.

8 They are wet with the mountain rains And hug the rock for want of a shelter.

They are wet with the showers of the mountains, And huddle around the rock for want of shelter.

9 Others snatch the orphan from the breast, And against the poor they take a pledge.

“ Some snatch the fatherless from the breast, And take a pledge from the poor.

10 They cause the poor to go about naked without clothing, And they take away the sheaves from the hungry.

They cause the poor to go naked, without clothing; And they take away the sheaves from the hungry.

11 Within the walls they produce oil; They tread wine presses but thirst.

They press out oil within their walls, And tread winepresses, yet suffer thirst.

12 From the city men groan, And the souls of the wounded cry out; Yet God does not pay attention to folly.

The dying groan in the city, And the souls of the wounded cry out; Yet God does not charge them with wrong.

13 Others have been with those who rebel against the light; They do not want to know its ways Nor abide in its paths.

“There are those who rebel against the light; They do not know its ways Nor abide in its paths.

14 The murderer arises at dawn; He kills the poor and the needy, And at night he is as a thief.

The murderer rises with the light; He kills the poor and needy; And in the night he is like a thief.

15 The eye of the adulterer waits for the twilight, Saying, ‘No eye will see me.’ And he disguises his face.

The eye of the adulterer waits for the twilight, Saying, ‘No eye will see me’; And he disguises his face.

16 In the dark they dig into houses, They shut themselves up by day; They do not know the light.

In the dark they break into houses Which they marked for themselves in the daytime; They do not know the light.

17 For the morning is the same to him as thick darkness, For he is familiar with the terrors of thick darkness.

For the morning is the same to them as the shadow of death; If someone recognizes them, They are in the terrors of the shadow of death.

18 They are insignificant on the surface of the water; Their portion is cursed on the earth. They do not turn toward the vineyards.

“They should be swift on the face of the waters, Their portion should be cursed in the earth, So that no one would turn into the way of their vineyards.

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

As drought and heat consume the snow waters, So the grave consumes those who have sinned.

20 A mother will forget him; The worm feeds sweetly till he is no longer remembered. And wickedness will be broken like a tree.

The womb should forget him, The worm should feed sweetly on him; He should be remembered no more, And wickedness should be broken like a tree.

21 He wrongs the barren woman And does no good for the widow.

For he preys on the barren who do not bear, And does no good for the widow.

22 But He drags off the valiant by His power; He rises, but no one has assurance of life.

“But God draws the mighty away with His power; He rises up, but no man is sure of life.

23 He provides them with security, and they are supported; And His eyes are on their ways.

He gives them security, and they rely on it; Yet His eyes are on their ways.

24 They are exalted a little while, then they are gone; Moreover, they are brought low and like everything gathered up; Even like the heads of grain they are cut off.

They are exalted for a little while, Then they are gone. They are brought low; They are taken out of the way like all others; They dry out like the heads of grain.

25 Now if it is not so, who can prove me a liar, And make my speech worthless?”

“Now if it is not so, who will prove me a liar, And make my speech worth nothing?”