Job, 24

1. Why does Shaddai not make known the times he has fixed; why do his faithful never see his Days?

1. "Why are not times of judgment kept by the Almighty, and why do those who know him never see his days?

2. The wicked move boundary-marks away, they carry off flock and shepherd.

2. Men remove landmarks; they seize flocks and pasture them.

3. They drive away the orphan's donkey, as security, they seize the widow's ox.

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

4. The needy have to keep out of the way, poor country people have to keep out of sight.

4. They thrust the poor off the road; the poor of the earth all hide themselves.

5. Like wild desert donkeys, they go out to work, searching from dawn for food, and at evening for something on which to feed their children.

5. Behold, like wild asses in the desert they go forth to their toil, seeking prey in the wilderness as food for their children.

6. They go harvesting in the field of some scoundrel, they go pilfering in the vineyards of the wicked.

6. They gather their fodder in the field and they glean the vineyard of the wicked man.

7. They spend the night naked, lacking clothes, with no covering against the cold.

7. They lie all night naked, without clothing, and have no covering in the cold.

8. Mountain rainstorms cut them through, unsheltered, they hug the rocks.

8. They are wet with the rain of the mountains, and cling to the rock for want of shelter.

9. The orphan child is torn from the breast, the child of the poor is exacted as security.

9. (There are those who snatch the fatherless child from the breast, and take in pledge the infant of the poor.)

10. They go about naked, lacking clothes, and starving while they carry the sheaves.

10. They go about naked, without clothing; hungry, they carry the sheaves;

11. Two little walls, their shelter at high noon; parched with thirst, they have to tread the winepress.

11. among the olive rows of the wicked they make oil; they tread the wine presses, but suffer thirst.

12. From the towns come the groans of the dying and the gasp of the wounded crying for help. Yet God remains deaf to prayer!

12. From out of the city the dying groan, and the soul of the wounded cries for help; yet God pays no attention to their prayer.

13. In contrast, there are those who reject the light: who know nothing of its ways and who do not frequent its paths.

13. "There are those who rebel against the light, who are not acquainted with its ways, and do not stay in its paths.

14. When all is dark the murderer leaves his bed to kill the poor and needy. During the night the thief goes on the prowl,

14. The murderer rises in the dark, that he may kill the poor and needy; and in the night he is as a thief.

15. The eye of the adulterer watches for twilight, 'No one will see me,' he mutters as he masks his face.In the daytime they keep out of sight, these people who do not want to know the light.

15. The eye of the adulterer also waits for the twilight, saying, `No eye will see me'; and he disguises his face.

16. breaking into houses while the darkness lasts.

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

17. For all of them, morning is a time of shadow dark as death, since that is when they know what fear is.

17. For deep darkness is morning to all of them; for they are friends with the terrors of deep darkness.

18.

18. "You say, "They are swiftly carried away upon the face of the waters; their portion is cursed in the land; no treader turns toward their vineyards.

19.

19. Drought and heat snatch away the snow waters; so does Sheol those who have sinned.

20.

20. The squares of the town forget them; their name is no longer remembered; so wickedness is broken like a tree.'

21.

21. "They feed on the barren childless woman, and do no good to the widow.

22.

22. Yet God prolongs the life of the mighty by his power; they rise up when they despair of life.

23.

23. He gives them security, and they are supported; and his eyes are upon their ways.

24.

24. They are exalted a little while, and then are gone; they wither and fade like the mallow; they are cut off like the heads of grain.

25. Is this not so? Who can prove me a liar or show that my words have no substance?

25. If it is not so, who will prove me a liar, and show that there is nothing in what I say?"