Job 24

1Why are times not hidden from the Almighty, nor do those who know him see his days?

2They remove boundaries, seize flocks, and pasture them.

3They drive away the orphans' donkey and take the widow's ox as a pledge.

4They thrust the needy aside from the path; together the earth's afflicted hide themselves.

5See, wild donkeys in the wilderness set out to their work, rising early for prey; the desert yields them bread for their children.

6They harvest their grain in the field and glean the vineyard of the ungodly.

7They lie down naked for lack of clothing, with no covering in the cold.

8They get wet from mountain showers and, lacking shelter, embrace the rock.

9They snatch the orphan from the breast and take the poor infant in pledge.

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

11Between their walls they press oil, tread winepresses, and thirst.

12Dying men groan from the city, and the souls of the slain cry out, yet God charges no folly.

13They are among those who rebel against the light; they do not recognize its ways nor dwell in its paths.

14At daybreak the murderer rises to slay the afflicted and the poor; at night he is like a thief.

15The adulterer’s eye waits for twilight, saying, “No eye will see me,” and he puts a covering over his face.

16In the darkness they dig through houses; by day they mark them for themselves; they do not know light.

17For morning is altogether like the shadow of death to them, since they recognize the terrors of the shadow of death.

18He is swift upon the waters' surface; their portion lies cursed in the earth—he does not turn toward the path of the vineyards.

19Drought and heat devour the snow's waters, as Sheol devours those who have sinned.

20The womb forgets him utterly; the worm feeds sweetly on him. He is remembered no longer, and injustice breaks like a tree.

21He ill-treats the barren who do not bear and does no good to the widow.

22He prolongs the mighty by his power; he rises up without assurance of life.

23He grants him safety, upon which he relies, while his eyes watch their paths.

24They are exalted a little and are no more; they are brought low, removed like all the rest, and cut off like the heads of the ears of grain.

25And if not now, who will make me a liar and set my words to nothing?