1 “ Why are times for judging not set up by the All-powerful? And why do those who know Him not see these days?

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

2 S ome take away the land-marks and take fields and animals.

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

3 T hey drive away the donkeys that belong to those who have no parents. They take the bull that belongs to a woman whose husband has died, as a promise that she will pay what she owes.

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

4 T hey push poor people off the road. All the poor of the land are made to hide themselves.

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

5 S ee, they go out like wild donkeys in the desert to look for food for their children.

Behold, 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.

6 T hey gather food in the fields, and gather what they can that is left from the grape-fields owned by the sinful.

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

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

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

8 T hey are wet with the mountain rains and stay close to the rocks for cover.

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

9 O thers take from the breast the child who has no father. They take the child from the poor as a promise that they will pay what they owe.

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

10 T hey make the poor go about without clothing, making them carry loads of cut grain while they are hungry.

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

11 A mong the olive trees they make oil. They crush grapes but they are thirsty.

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

12 M en from the city cry inside themselves. The souls of those who are hurt cry out. Yet God does not listen to their prayer.

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

13 “ Then there are those who turn against the light. They do not want to know its ways or stay in its paths.

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

14 T he one who kills people gets up early in the morning. He kills the poor and those in need. And during the night he is like a robber.

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

15 T he eye of the one who is not faithful in marriage waits for the evening, saying, ‘No one will see me.’ And he covers his face.

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

16 I n the dark they dig into houses. They shut themselves up during the day and do not know the light.

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

17 F or midnight is morning to them. They are not afraid of the fears of darkness.

For 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.

18 “ They are taken away on the top of the waters. Their part of the earth is cursed. They do not go to their grape-fields.

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

19 D ry weather and heat take away the water from the snow, just as the place of the dead takes away those who have sinned.

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

20 A mother will forget him. The worm is pleased to eat him until he is remembered no more. Sin will be broken like a tree.

The 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.

21 H e does wrong to the woman who cannot give birth. And he does no good for the woman whose husband has died.

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

22 B ut God by His power gives long life to the strong. They rise again, even when they had no hope of life.

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

23 H e makes them safe and gives them strength, and His eyes are on their ways.

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

24 T hey are given honor for a little while, and then they are gone. They are brought low and gathered up as all others are. They are cut off like the heads of grain.

They 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.

25 I f it is not so, who can prove me a liar, and show that what I say means nothing?”

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