Job 24:1-25
24 “How comes it times are not reserved by Shaddaiand those who know him do not behold his days?
2 * These displace boundary-marks,steal a flock and pasture it,
3 Drive off orphans’ donkeys,take a widow’s cow and hold it as a pawn,
4 Force needy men off the road;earth’s downtrodden go into hiding together.
5 * They go out in the wilderness like wild assesin their activities in quest of anything that can be eaten;he has desert wastes as food for the boys.
6 On the range they make a harvest of its cattle-feed,they go through a wicked man’s vineyard for belated grapes.
7 They pass the night naked for want of clothingand coverless in the cold.
8 They are wet with mountain rainstormsand hug rocks for lack of shelter.
9 ** They steal orphan from breastand take in pawn a poverty-stricken man’s baby.
10 * They go about naked for want of clothing,and while they go hungry they carry shocks of grain,
11 * Between their walls they press oil,they tread winepresses and go thirsty.
12 * Out of cities dying men groanand souls of men mortally wounded shriek.And God does not find any fault.
13 Those are rebels against light,do not recognize its routesnor settle in its paths.
14 * When it is not light a murderer stands up,kills a downtrodden and needy man;and in the night a thief goes about.
15 And an adulterer’s eye watches for dusk,thinking ‘No eye will espy me,’and he muffles up his face.
16 * One breaks into houses in the dark.By day they shut themselves in;they make no acquaintance with light;
17 ** For alike are morning to them and gloom,because they are familiar with the wraiths of gloom.
18 ** He is light on the surface of water;their share in the land shall be cursed;a treader shall not turn to their vineyard.
19 * Drought, heat too, steal snow-water;the realm of death, who have sinned.
20 * The womb that fashioned him will forget him,his loftiness will not go on to be remembered,and foul play breaks like a piece of wood.
21 * One who does injuries to a barren woman that bears no children,and no good to a widow,
22 ** And drags down needy men by his power,stands up and does not put faith in living;
23 He grants him to have confidence and reliance,and his eyes are on their courses.
24 * They have been lofty a little while, and there is nothing of themand they are laid low, collapse like alkali-sorrel,and are cut down like heads of grain.
25 If not, then, who will show me up as a liarand reduce my claims to nothing?”
Footnotes
^ 24:2 Var. steal a flock shepherd and all
^ 24:5 Susp.
^ 24:9 Conj. that this verse does not belong here
^ 24:9 (baby) Codd.* person
^ 24:10 Conj. They walk naked bearing articles of clothing
^ 24:11 (walls) Unc., susp.
^ 24:12 Var. Out of cities men groan, and souls of children shriek
^ 24:14 Codd. in the night let him be like the thief Conj. that the line about the thief belongs before verse 16 or that in some other way the thief originally had a full verse
^ 24:16 Lit. seal themselves in
^ 24:17 Lit. For together are
^ 24:17 Codd.* together morning to them is gloom
^ 24:18 Or He is swift Conj. They are light (or swift) Conj. They are cursed before heaven; their share on earth shall
^ 24:18 (last line) Codd. he shall not face toward vineyards
^ 24:19 Susp.
^ 24:20 Codd. A womb will forget him; maggots have sucked him; he will not go on
^ 24:21 Codd. One who associates with a
^ 24:22 Unc.
^ 24:22 Var. defiant men
^ 24:24 Lit. nothing of him
