24:1 Why, seeing times are not hid from the Almighty, do they that know him not see his days?

24:2 Some remove the landmarks: they violently take away flocks, and their feed.

24:3 They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow's ox for a pledge.

24:4 They turn the needy out of the way: the poor of the earth hide themselves together.

24:5 Behold, as wild asses in the desert, they go forth to their work; rising betimes for a prey: the wilderness yieldeth food for them and for their children.

24:6 They reap every one his corn in the field: and they gather the vintage of the wicked.

24:7 They cause the naked to lodge without clothing, that they have no covering in the cold.

24:8 They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter.

24:9 They pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor.

24:10 They cause him to go naked without clothing, and they take away the sheaf from the hungry;

24:11 Who make oil within their walls, and tread their wine-presses, and suffer thirst.

24:12 Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded crieth out: yet God layeth not folly to them.

24:13 They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not its ways, nor abide in its paths.

24:14 The murderer rising with the light killeth the poor and needy, and in the night is as a thief.

24:15 The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth his face.

24:16 In the dark they dig through houses, which they had marked for themselves in the day-time: they know not the light.

24:17 For the morning is to them even as the shades of death: if one knoweth them, they are in the terrors of the shades of death.

24:18 He is swift as the waters; their portion is cursed in the earth: he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards.

24:19 Drouth and heat consume the snow-waters: so doth the grave those who have sinned.

24:20 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.

24:21 He oppresseth the barren that beareth not: and doeth not good to the widow.

24:22 He draweth also the mighty with his power: he riseth up, and no man is sure of life.

24:23 Though it is given him to be in safety, on which he resteth; yet his eyes are upon their ways.

24:24 They are exalted for a little while, but are gone and brought low; they are taken out of the way as all others, and cut off as the tops of the ears of corn.