1Why, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that know him not see his days? 2Some remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks, and feed thereof.24.2 feed…: or, feed them 3They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow’s ox for a pledge. 4They turn the needy out of the way: the poor of the earth hide themselves together. 5Behold, 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. 6They reap every one his corn in the field: and they gather the vintage of the wicked.24.6 corn: Heb. mingled corn, or, dredge24.6 they gather…: Heb. the wicked gather the vintage 7They cause the naked to lodge without clothing, that they have no covering in the cold. 8They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter. 9They pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor. 10They cause him to go naked without clothing, and they take away the sheaf from the hungry; 11Which make oil within their walls, and tread their winepresses, and suffer thirst. 12Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded crieth out: yet God layeth not folly to them.
13They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof. 14The murderer rising with the light killeth the poor and needy, and in the night is as a thief. 15The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth his face.24.15 disguiseth…: Heb. setteth his face in secret 16In the dark they dig through houses, which they had marked for themselves in the daytime: they know not the light. 17For 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.
18He is swift as the waters; their portion is cursed in the earth: he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards. 19Drought and heat consume the snow waters: so doth the grave those which have sinned.24.19 consume: Heb. violently take 20The 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. 21He evil entreateth the barren that beareth not: and doeth not good to the widow. 22He draweth also the mighty with his power: he riseth up, and no man is sure of life.24.22 no…: or, he trusteth not his own life 23Though it be given him to be in safety, whereon he resteth; yet his eyes are upon their ways. 24They 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.24.24 are gone: Heb. are not24.24 taken…: Heb. closed up 25And if it be not so now, who will make me a liar, and make my speech nothing worth?
1“Why doesn’t the Mighty One set a time for judging sinful people?
Why do those who know him have to keep waiting for that day?
2People move their neighbor’s boundary stones.
They steal their neighbor’s flocks.
3They take away the donkeys
that belong to children whose fathers have died.
They take a widow’s ox until she has paid what she owes.
4They push those who are needy out of their way.
They force all the poor people in the land to go into hiding.
5The poor are like wild donkeys in the desert.
They have to go around looking for food.
The dry and empty land provides the only food for their children.
6The poor go to the fields and get a little grain.
They gather up what is left in the vineyards of sinners.
7The poor don’t have any clothes. So they spend the night naked.
They don’t have anything to cover themselves in the cold.
8They are soaked by mountain rains.
They hug the rocks because they don’t have anything to keep them warm.
9Children whose fathers have died
are torn away from their mothers.
A poor person’s baby is taken away to pay back what is owed.
10The poor don’t have any clothes. They go around naked.
They carry bundles of grain, but they still go hungry.
11They work very hard as they crush olives.
They stomp on grapes in winepresses,
but they are still thirsty.
12The groans of those who are dying are heard from the city.
Those who are wounded cry out for help.
But God doesn’t charge anyone with doing what is wrong.
13“Some people hate it when daylight comes.
In the daytime they never walk outside.
14When daylight is gone, murderers get up.
They kill poor people and those who are in need.
In the night they sneak around like robbers.
15Those who commit adultery wait until the sun goes down.
They think, ‘No one will see us.’
They keep their faces hidden.
16In the dark, thieves break into houses.
But by day they shut themselves in.
They don’t want anything to do with the light.
17Midnight is like morning to them.
The terrors of darkness are their friends.
18“But sinners are like bubbles on the surface of water.
Their share of the land is under God’s curse.
So no one goes to their vineyards.
19Melted snow disappears when the air is hot and dry.
And sinners disappear when they go down into their graves.
20Even their mothers forget them.
The worms in their graves eat them up.
No one remembers sinful people anymore.
They are cut down like trees.
21They mistreat women who aren’t able to have children.
They aren’t kind to widows.
22But God is powerful.
He even drags away people who are strong.
When he rises up against them,
they can never be sure they are safe.
23God might let them rest and feel secure.
But his eyes see how they live.
24For a little while they are honored.
Then they are gone.
They are brought low.
And they die like everyone else.
They are cut off like heads of grain.
25“Who can prove that what I’m saying is wrong?
Who can prove that my words aren’t true?”
