1“Why are times not stored up by the Almighty,
         And why do those who know Him not see His days?

2“Some remove the landmarks;
         They seize and devour flocks.

3“They drive away the donkeys of the orphans;
         They take the widow’s ox for a pledge.

4“They push the needy aside from the road;
         The poor of the land are made to hide themselves altogether.

5“Behold, as wild donkeys in the wilderness
         They go forth seeking food in their activity,
         As bread for their children in the desert.

6“They harvest their fodder in the field
         And glean the vineyard of the wicked.

7“They spend the night naked, without clothing,
         And have no covering against the cold.

8“They are wet with the mountain rains
         And hug the rock for want of a shelter.

9“Others snatch the orphan from the breast,
         And against the poor they take a pledge.

10“They cause the poor to go about naked without clothing,
         And they take away the sheaves from the hungry.

11“Within the walls they produce oil;
         They tread wine presses but thirst.

12“From the city men groan,
         And the souls of the wounded cry out;
         Yet God does not pay attention to folly.

13“Others have been with those who rebel against the light;
         They do not want to know its ways
         Nor abide in its paths.

14“The murderer arises at dawn;
         He kills the poor and the needy,
         And at night he is as a thief.

15“The eye of the adulterer waits for the twilight,
         Saying, ‘No eye will see me.’
         And he disguises his face.

16“In the dark they dig into houses,
         They shut themselves up by day;
         They do not know the light.

17“For the morning is the same to him as thick darkness,
         For he is familiar with the terrors of thick darkness.

18“They are insignificant on the surface of the water;
         Their portion is cursed on the earth.
         They do not turn toward the vineyards.

19“Drought and heat consume the snow waters,
         So does Sheol those who have sinned.

20“A mother will forget him;
         The worm feeds sweetly till he is no longer remembered.
         And wickedness will be broken like a tree.

21“He wrongs the barren woman
         And does no good for the widow.

22“But He drags off the valiant by His power;
         He rises, but no one has assurance of life.

23“He provides them with security, and they are supported;
         And His eyes are on their ways.

24“They are exalted a little while, then they are gone;
         Moreover, they are brought low and like everything gathered up;
         Even like the heads of grain they are cut off.

25“Now if it is not so, who can prove me a liar,
         And make my speech worthless?”

NASB ©1995