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24 “Why does the Almighty not set times(A) for judgment?(B)
    Why must those who know him look in vain for such days?(C)
There are those who move boundary stones;(D)
    they pasture flocks they have stolen.(E)
They drive away the orphan’s donkey
    and take the widow’s ox in pledge.(F)
They thrust the needy(G) from the path
    and force all the poor(H) of the land into hiding.(I)
Like wild donkeys(J) in the desert,
    the poor go about their labor(K) of foraging food;
    the wasteland(L) provides food for their children.
They gather fodder(M) in the fields
    and glean in the vineyards(N) of the wicked.(O)
Lacking clothes, they spend the night naked;
    they have nothing to cover themselves in the cold.(P)
They are drenched(Q) by mountain rains
    and hug(R) the rocks for lack of shelter.(S)
The fatherless(T) child is snatched(U) from the breast;
    the infant of the poor is seized(V) for a debt.(W)
10 Lacking clothes, they go about naked;(X)
    they carry the sheaves,(Y) but still go hungry.
11 They crush olives among the terraces[a];
    they tread the winepresses,(Z) yet suffer thirst.(AA)
12 The groans of the dying rise from the city,
    and the souls of the wounded cry out for help.(AB)
    But God charges no one with wrongdoing.(AC)

13 “There are those who rebel against the light,(AD)
    who do not know its ways
    or stay in its paths.(AE)
14 When daylight is gone, the murderer rises up,
    kills(AF) the poor and needy,(AG)
    and in the night steals forth like a thief.(AH)
15 The eye of the adulterer(AI) watches for dusk;(AJ)
    he thinks, ‘No eye will see me,’(AK)
    and he keeps his face concealed.
16 In the dark, thieves break into houses,(AL)
    but by day they shut themselves in;
    they want nothing to do with the light.(AM)
17 For all of them, midnight is their morning;
    they make friends with the terrors(AN) of darkness.(AO)

18 “Yet they are foam(AP) on the surface of the water;(AQ)
    their portion of the land is cursed,(AR)
    so that no one goes to the vineyards.(AS)
19 As heat and drought snatch away the melted snow,(AT)
    so the grave(AU) snatches away those who have sinned.
20 The womb forgets them,
    the worm(AV) feasts on them;(AW)
the wicked are no longer remembered(AX)
    but are broken like a tree.(AY)
21 They prey on the barren and childless woman,
    and to the widow they show no kindness.(AZ)
22 But God drags away the mighty by his power;(BA)
    though they become established,(BB) they have no assurance of life.(BC)
23 He may let them rest in a feeling of security,(BD)
    but his eyes(BE) are on their ways.(BF)
24 For a little while they are exalted, and then they are gone;(BG)
    they are brought low and gathered up like all others;(BH)
    they are cut off like heads of grain.(BI)

25 “If this is not so, who can prove me false
    and reduce my words to nothing?”(BJ)

Footnotes

  1. Job 24:11 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Job Complains of Violence on the Earth

24 Since (A)times are not hidden from the Almighty,
Why do those who know Him see not His (B)days?

Some remove (C)landmarks;
They seize flocks violently and feed on them;
They drive away the donkey of the fatherless;
They (D)take the widow’s ox as a pledge.
They push the needy off the road;
All the (E)poor of the land are forced to hide.
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.
They gather their fodder in the field
And glean in the vineyard of the wicked.
They (F)spend the night naked, without clothing,
And have no covering in the cold.
They are wet with the showers of the mountains,
And (G)huddle around the rock for want of shelter.

Some snatch the fatherless from the breast,
And take a pledge from the poor.
10 They cause the poor to go naked, without (H)clothing;
And they take away the sheaves from the hungry.
11 They press out oil within their walls,
And tread winepresses, yet suffer thirst.
12 The dying groan in the city,
And the souls of the wounded cry out;
Yet God does not charge them with wrong.

13 “There are those who rebel against the light;
They do not know its ways
Nor abide in its paths.
14 (I)The murderer rises with the light;
He kills the poor and needy;
And in the night he is like a thief.
15 (J)The eye of the adulterer waits for the twilight,
(K)Saying, ‘No eye will see me’;
And he [a]disguises his face.
16 In the dark they break into houses
Which they marked for themselves in the daytime;
(L)They do not know the light.
17 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 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 As drought and heat [b]consume the snow waters,
So [c]the grave consumes those who have sinned.
20 The womb should forget him,
The worm should feed sweetly on him;
(M)He should be remembered no more,
And wickedness should be broken like a tree.
21 For he [d]preys on the barren who do not bear,
And does no good for the widow.

22 “But God draws the mighty away with His power;
He rises up, but no man is sure of life.
23 He gives them security, and they rely on it;
Yet (N)His eyes are on their ways.
24 They are exalted for a little while,
Then they are gone.
They are brought low;
They are [e]taken out of the way like all others;
They dry out like the heads of grain.

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

Footnotes

  1. Job 24:15 Lit. puts a covering on his face
  2. Job 24:19 Lit. seize
  3. Job 24:19 Or Sheol
  4. Job 24:21 Lit. feeds on
  5. Job 24:24 Lit. gathered up

24 “Why are (A)not times of judgment (B)kept by the Almighty,
    and why do those who know him never see his (C)days?
Some move (D)landmarks;
    they seize flocks and pasture them.
They drive away the donkey of the fatherless;
    they (E)take the widow's ox for a pledge.
They (F)thrust the poor off the road;
    the poor of the earth (G)all hide themselves.
Behold, like wild donkeys in the desert
    the poor[a] (H)go out to their toil, (I)seeking game;
    the wasteland yields food for their children.
They gather their[b] fodder in the field,
    and they glean the vineyard of the wicked man.
They (J)lie all night naked, without clothing,
    and have no covering in the cold.
They are wet with the rain of the mountains
    and (K)cling to the rock for lack of shelter.
(There are those who snatch the fatherless child from the breast,
    and they take a pledge against the poor.)
10 They go about naked, without clothing;
    hungry, they (L)carry the sheaves;
11 among the olive rows of the wicked[c] they make oil;
    they tread the winepresses, but suffer thirst.
12 From out of the city the dying[d] groan,
    and the soul of (M)the wounded cries for help;
    yet God charges no one with (N)wrong.

13 “There are those who rebel (O)against the light,
    who are not acquainted with its ways,
    and do not stay in its paths.
14 The murderer rises before it is light,
    that he (P)may kill the poor and needy,
    and in the night he is like a thief.
15 The eye of the adulterer also waits for (Q)the twilight,
    saying, ‘No (R)eye will see me’;
    and he veils his face.
16 In the dark they (S)dig through houses;
    by day they shut themselves up;
    they do not know the light.
17 For (T)deep darkness is morning to all of them;
    for they are friends with the terrors of deep darkness.

18 “You say, (U)‘Swift are they on the face of the waters;
    their portion is cursed in the land;
    no treader turns toward their vineyards.
19 Drought and heat snatch away the snow waters;
    so does (V)Sheol those who have sinned.
20 The womb forgets them;
    the worm finds them sweet;
they are (W)no longer remembered,
    so wickedness is broken like (X)a tree.’

21 “They wrong the barren, childless woman,
    and do no good to the widow.
22 Yet God[e] prolongs the life of the mighty by his power;
    they rise up when they despair of life.
23 He gives them security, and they are supported,
    and his (Y)eyes are upon their ways.
24 They are exalted (Z)a little while, and then (AA)are gone;
    they are brought low and gathered up like all others;
    they are (AB)cut off like the heads of grain.
25 If it is (AC)not so, who will prove me a liar
    and show that there is nothing in what I say?”

Footnotes

  1. Job 24:5 Hebrew they
  2. Job 24:6 Hebrew his
  3. Job 24:11 Hebrew their olive rows
  4. Job 24:12 Or the men
  5. Job 24:22 Hebrew he

Job Says God Seems to Ignore Wrongs

24 (A)Why are [a]times not stored up by the Almighty,
And why do those who know Him not see (B)His [b]days?
People (C)remove landmarks;
They seize and [c]devour flocks.
They drive away the donkeys of (D)orphans;
They seize the (E)widow’s ox as a pledge.
They push (F)the needy aside from the road;
The (G)poor of the land have to hide themselves together.
Behold, like (H)wild donkeys in the wilderness
They (I)go out scavenging for food in their activity,
As [d]bread for their children in the desert.
They harvest their feed in the field
And glean the vineyard of the wicked.
(J)They spend the night naked, without clothing,
And have no covering against the cold.
They are wet from the mountain rains,
And they hug the rock for lack of a shelter.
Others snatch an (K)orphan from the breast,
And they seize it as a pledge against the poor.
10 The poor move about naked without clothing,
And they carry sheaves, while going hungry.
11 Within the walls they produce oil;
They tread wine presses but go thirsty.
12 From the city people groan,
And the souls of the wounded cry for help;
Yet God (L)does not pay attention to the offensiveness.

13 [e]Others have been with those who rebel against the light;
They do not want to know its ways
Nor stay in its paths.
14 The murderer (M)arises at dawn;
He (N)kills the poor and the needy,
And at night he is like a thief.
15 The eye of the (O)adulterer watches for [f]twilight,
Saying, ‘No eye will see me.’
And he [g]disguises his face.
16 In the darkness they (P)dig into houses,
They (Q)shut themselves up by day;
They do not know the light.
17 For the morning is the same to him as thick darkness,
For he is familiar with the (R)terrors of thick darkness.

18 “They are [h](S)insignificant on the surface of the water;
Their plot of land on the earth is (T)cursed.
They do not turn [i]toward the (U)vineyards.
19 Dryness and heat (V)snatch away the snow waters,
As [j](W)Sheol snatches those who have sinned.
20 A [k](X)mother will forget him;
The (Y)maggot feeds sweetly until he is (Z)no longer remembered.
And injustice will be broken (AA)like a tree.
21 He wrongs the [l]infertile woman,
And does no good for (AB)the widow.
22 But He drags off the mighty by (AC)His power;
He rises, but (AD)no one has assurance of life.
23 He provides them (AE)with security, and they are supported;
And His (AF)eyes are on their ways.
24 They are exalted a (AG)little while, then they are gone;
Moreover, they are (AH)brought low, and like everything they are gathered up;
Like the heads of grain they wither.
25 Now if it is not so, (AI)who can prove me a liar,
And make my speech worthless?”

Footnotes

  1. Job 24:1 I.e., of judgment for the wicked
  2. Job 24:1 I.e., of judgment for the wicked
  3. Job 24:2 Or pasture
  4. Job 24:5 Lit his bread
  5. Job 24:13 Lit They
  6. Job 24:15 Lit the twilight
  7. Job 24:15 Or puts a covering on his face
  8. Job 24:18 Or light; or swift
  9. Job 24:18 Lit to the path of
  10. Job 24:19 I.e., the netherworld
  11. Job 24:20 Lit womb
  12. Job 24:21 Lit infertile who does not bear