Job 24

¹The times are not hidden from the Almighty; even those who know him, do not know his days.

²Some have crossed the boundaries, plundered the flocks, and given them pasture.

³They have driven away the donkey of orphans, and have taken the cow from the widow as collateral.

⁴They have undermined the way of the poor, and have pressed together the meek of the earth.

⁵Others, like wild asses in the desert, go forth to their work; by watching for prey, they obtain bread for their children.

⁶They reap a field that is not their own, and they harvest a vineyard that they have taken by force.

⁷They send men away naked, having taken the clothing of those who have no covering in the cold;

⁸these are wet with the mountain rain, and, having no covering, they embrace the rocks.

⁹They have used violence to deprive orphans, and they have robbed the poor common people.

¹⁰From the naked and those who do not have enough clothing, and from the hungry, they have taken away sheaves of grain.

¹¹They take their midday rest among the stockpiles of those who, though they have trodden the winepresses, suffer thirst.

¹²In the cities, they caused the men to groan and the spirit of the wounded to cry out, and so God does not allow this to go unpunished.

¹³They have been rebellious against the light; they have not known his ways, nor have they returned by his paths.

¹⁴The killer of men rises at first light; he executes the destitute and the poor, but, in truth, he is like a thief in the night.

¹⁵The eye of the adulterer waits for darkness, saying, “No eye will see me,” and he covers his face.

¹⁶He passes through houses in the nighttime, just as they had agreed among themselves in the daytime; and they are ignorant of the light.

¹⁷If sunrise should suddenly appear, it is treated by them like the shadow of death; and they walk in darkness, as if in light.

¹⁸He is nimble on the surface of water. His place on land is to be accursed. May he not walk by way of the vineyards.

¹⁹May he cross from the snowy waters to excessive heat, and his sin, all the way to hell.

²⁰Let mercy forget him. His charm is worms. Let him not be remembered, but instead be broken like an unfruitful tree.

²¹For he has fed on the barren, who does not bear fruit, and he has not done good to the widow.

²²He has pulled down the strong by his strength, and, when he stands up, he will not have trust in his life.

²³God has given him a place for repentance, and he abuses it with arrogance, but his eyes are upon his ways.

²⁴They are lifted up for a little while, but they will not continue, and they will be brought low, just like all things, and they will be taken away, and, like the tops of the ears of grain, they will be crushed.

²⁵But, if this is not so, who is able to prove to me that I have lied and to place my words before God?

Job 24

¹Times are not hid from the Almighty: but they that know him, know not his days.

²Some have removed landmarks, have taken away flocks by force, and fed them.

³They have driven away the ass of the fatherless, and have taken away the widow's ox for a pledge.

⁴They have overturned the way of the poor, and have oppressed together the meek of the earth.

⁵Others like wild asses in the desert go forth to their work: by watching for a prey they get bread for their children.

⁶They reap the field that is not their own, and gather the vintage of his vineyard whom by violence they have oppressed.

⁷They send men away naked, taking away their clothes who have no covering in the cold:

⁸Who are wet, with the showers of the mountains, and having no covering embrace the stones.

⁹They have violently robbed the fatherless, and stripped the poor common people.

¹⁰From the naked and them that go without clothing, and from the hungry they have taken away the ears of corn.

¹¹They have taken their rest at noon among the stores of them, who after having trodden the winepresses suffer thirst.

¹²Out of the cities they have made men to groan, and the soul of the wounded hath cried out, and God doth not suffer it to pass unrevenged.

¹³They have been rebellious to the light, they have not known his ways, neither have they returned by his paths.

¹⁴The murderer riseth at the very break of day, he killeth the needy, and the poor man: but in the night he will be as a thief.

¹⁵The eye of the adulterer observeth darkness, saying: No eye shall see me: and he will cover his face.

¹⁶He diggeth through houses in the dark, as in the day they had appointed for themselves, and they have not known the light.

¹⁷If the morning suddenly appear, it is to them the shadow of death: and they walk in darkness as if it were in light.

¹⁸He is light upon the face of the water: cursed be his portion on the earth, let him not walk by the way of the vineyards.

¹⁹Let him pass from the snow waters to excessive heat, and his sin even to hell.

²⁰Let mercy forget him: may worms be his sweetness: let him be remembered no more, but be broken in pieces as an unfruitful tree.

²¹For he hath fed the barren that beareth not, and to the widow he hath done no good.

²²He hath pulled down the strong by his might: and when he standeth up, he shall not trust to his life.

²³God hath given him place for penance, and he abuseth it unto pride: but his eyes are upon his ways.

²⁴They are lifted up for a little while and shall not stand, and shall be brought down as all things, and shall be taken away, and as the tops of the ears of corn they shall be broken.

²⁵And if it be not so, who can convince me that I have lied, and set my words before God?