1 Why are not times set by the Almighty, and why do his friends not see his days?
2 The wicked remove landmarks; they steal away herds and pasture them.
3 The asses of orphans they drive away; they take the widow's ox for a pledge.
4 They force the needy off the road; all the poor of the land are driven into hiding.
5 Like wild asses in the desert, these go forth to their task of seeking food; The steppe provides food for the young among them;
6 they harvest at night in the untilled land.
7 They pass the night naked, without clothing, for they have no covering against the cold;
8 They are drenched with the rain of the mountains, and for want of shelter they cling to the rock.
10 and famished are those who carry the sheaves.
11 Between the rows they press out the oil; they glean in the the vineyard of the wicked. They tread the wine presses, yet suffer thirst,
12 From the dust the dying groan, and the souls of the wounded cry out (yet God does not treat it as unseemly).
13 There are those who are rebels against the light; they know not its ways; they abide not in its paths.
14 When there is no light the murderer rises, to kill the poor and needy.
15 The eye of the adulterer watches for the twilight; he says, "No eye will see me." In the night the thief roams about, and he puts a mask over his face;
16 in the dark he breaks into houses. By day they shut themselves in; none of them know the light,
17 for daylight they regard as darkness.
18 Their portion in the land is accursed,
20 and wickedness is splintered like wood.
22 To him who rises without assurance of his life
23 he gives safety and support. He sustains the mighty by his strength, and his eyes are on their ways.
24 They are exalted for a while, and then they are gone; they are laid low and, like all others, are gathered up; like ears of grain they shrivel.
25 If this be not so, who will confute me, and reduce my argument to nought?
Versículos relacionados com Job, 24:
Job chapter 24 addresses the apparent impunity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous in the face of this situation. Job wonders why God seems to allow the wicked to prosper and be successful, while the righteous suffer and are oppressed. It describes various forms of oppression and violence that are committed by the wicked against the poor and needy. Below are five verses related to these themes:
Psalm 37:7 - "Rest in the Lord, and wait for him; do not indignant to him because of the one who thrives in his way, because of the man who performs atatutes attives." This verse talks about waiting in God and not worrying about the wicked who thrive in their malicious practices. This can help bring peace to those who are suffering, like Job.
Psalm 73:3-5 - "For I was jealous of the superb, when he saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no squeezes in his death, but firm is his strength. They are not in work like other men, nor are they afflicted as other men. " The psalmist also questions the apparent prosperity of the wicked, observing how they seem to avoid the pain and suffering that others experience.
Isaiah 10:1-2 - "Woe to those who decree unjust laws, and the clerks who prescribe oppression. To divert the poor from judgment, and to snatch the right of the afflicted of my people; to strip their widows and steal the orphans!" This verse denounces the wicked oppression against the needy and vulnerable, which is one of Job's main concerns in chapter 24.
Jeremiah 12:1 - "You are righteous, O Lord, when I plead with you, yet I will speak to you about your judgments. Why do the way of the wicked, and live in peace all who proceed warmly?" This verse presents a situation similar to that of Job, with the prophet Jeremiah questioning God's righteousness before the apparent success of the wicked.
Habakkuk 1:2-3-"How long, Lord, I will cry out, and you will not hear me? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and the dispute arises. " Habakkuk also questions why God seems to allow violence and oppression, especially in relation to God's people.
Capítulos: