New International Version | Berean Study Bible |
1"Why does the Almighty not set times for judgment? Why must those who know him look in vain for such days? | 1“Why does the Almighty not reserve times for judgment? Why may those who know Him never see His days? |
2There are those who move boundary stones; they pasture flocks they have stolen. | 2Men move boundary stones; they pasture stolen flocks. |
3They drive away the orphan's donkey and take the widow's ox in pledge. | 3They drive away the donkey of the fatherless and take the widow’s ox in pledge. |
4They thrust the needy from the path and force all the poor of the land into hiding. | 4They push the needy off the road and force all the poor of the land into hiding. |
5Like wild donkeys in the desert, the poor go about their labor of foraging food; the wasteland provides food for their children. | 5Indeed, like wild donkeys in the desert, the poor go to work foraging for food; the wasteland is food for their children. |
6They gather fodder in the fields and glean in the vineyards of the wicked. | 6They gather fodder in the fields and glean the vineyards of the wicked. |
7Lacking clothes, they spend the night naked; they have nothing to cover themselves in the cold. | 7Without clothing, they spend the night naked; they have no covering against the cold. |
8They are drenched by mountain rains and hug the rocks for lack of shelter. | 8Drenched by mountain rains, they huddle against the rocks for want of shelter. |
9The fatherless child is snatched from the breast; the infant of the poor is seized for a debt. | 9The fatherless infant is snatched from the breast; the nursing child of the poor is seized for a debt. |
10Lacking clothes, they go about naked; they carry the sheaves, but still go hungry. | 10Without clothing, they wander about naked. They carry the sheaves, but still go hungry. |
11They crush olives among the terraces; they tread the winepresses, yet suffer thirst. | 11They crush olives within their walls; they tread the winepresses, but go thirsty. |
12The groans of the dying rise from the city, and the souls of the wounded cry out for help. But God charges no one with wrongdoing. | 12From the city, men groan, and the souls of the wounded cry out, yet God charges no one with wrongdoing. |
13"There are those who rebel against the light, who do not know its ways or stay in its paths. | 13Then there are those who rebel against the light, not knowing its ways or staying on its paths. |
14When daylight is gone, the murderer rises up, kills the poor and needy, and in the night steals forth like a thief. | 14When daylight is gone, the murderer rises to kill the poor and needy; in the night he is like a thief. |
15The eye of the adulterer watches for dusk; he thinks, 'No eye will see me,' and he keeps his face concealed. | 15The eye of the adulterer watches for twilight. Thinking, ‘No eye will see me,’ he covers his face. |
16In the dark, thieves break into houses, but by day they shut themselves in; they want nothing to do with the light. | 16In the dark they dig through houses; by day they shut themselves in, never to experience the light. |
17For all of them, midnight is their morning; they make friends with the terrors of darkness. | 17For to them, deep darkness is their morning; surely they are friends with the terrors of darkness! |
18"Yet they are foam on the surface of the water; their portion of the land is cursed, so that no one goes to the vineyards. | 18They are but foam on the surface of the water; their portion of the land is cursed, so that no one turns toward their vineyards. |
19As heat and drought snatch away the melted snow, so the grave snatches away those who have sinned. | 19As drought and heat consume the melting snow, so Sheol steals those who have sinned. |
20The womb forgets them, the worm feasts on them; the wicked are no longer remembered but are broken like a tree. | 20The womb forgets them; the worm feeds on them; they are remembered no more. So injustice is like a broken tree. |
21They prey on the barren and childless woman, and to the widow they show no kindness. | 21They prey on the barren and childless, and show no kindness to the widow. |
22But God drags away the mighty by his power; though they become established, they have no assurance of life. | 22Yet by His power, God drags away the mighty; though rising up, they have no assurance of life. |
23He may let them rest in a feeling of security, but his eyes are on their ways. | 23He gives them a sense of security, but His eyes are on their ways. |
24For a little while they are exalted, and then they are gone; they are brought low and gathered up like all others; they are cut off like heads of grain. | 24They are exalted for a moment, then they are gone; they are brought low and gathered up like all others; they are cut off like heads of grain. |
25"If this is not so, who can prove me false and reduce my words to nothing?" | 25If this is not so, then who can prove me a liar and reduce my words to nothing?” |
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