1 The times are not hidden from the Almighty; even those who know him, do not know his days.
2 Some have crossed the boundaries, plundered the flocks, and given them pasture.
3 They have driven away the donkey of orphans, and have taken the cow from the widow as collateral.
4 They have undermined the way of the poor, and have pressed together the meek of the earth.
5 Others, like wild asses in the desert, go forth to their work; by watching for prey, they obtain bread for their children.
6 They reap a field that is not their own, and they harvest a vineyard that they have taken by force.
7 They send men away naked, having taken the clothing of those who have no covering in the cold;
8 these are wet with the mountain rain, and, having no covering, they embrace the rocks.
9 They have used violence to deprive orphans, and they have robbed the poor common people.
10 From the naked and those who do not have enough clothing, and from the hungry, they have taken away sheaves of grain.
11 They take their midday rest among the stockpiles of those who, though they have trodden the winepresses, suffer thirst.
12 In the cities, they caused the men to groan and the spirit of the wounded to cry out, and so God does not allow this to go unpunished.
13 They have been rebellious against the light; they have not known his ways, nor have they returned by his paths.
14 The killer of men rises at first light; he executes the destitute and the poor, but, in truth, he is like a thief in the night.
15 The eye of the adulterer waits for darkness, saying, “No eye will see me,” and he covers his face.
16 He passes through houses in the nighttime, just as they had agreed among themselves in the daytime; and they are ignorant of the light.
17 If sunrise should suddenly appear, it is treated by them like the shadow of death; and they walk in darkness, as if in light.
18 He is nimble on the surface of water. His place on land is to be accursed. May he not walk by way of the vineyards.
19 May he cross from the snowy waters to excessive heat, and his sin, all the way to hell.
20 Let mercy forget him. His charm is worms. Let him not be remembered, but instead be broken like an unfruitful tree.
21 For he has fed on the barren, who does not bear fruit, and he has not done good to the widow.
22 He has pulled down the strong by his strength, and, when he stands up, he will not have trust in his life.
23 God has given him a place for repentance, and he abuses it with arrogance, but his eyes are upon his ways.
24 They are lifted up for a little while, but they will not continue, and they will be brought low, just like all things, and they will be taken away, and, like the tops of the ears of grain, they will be crushed.
25 But, if this is not so, who is able to prove to me that I have lied and to place my words before God?
Versículos relacionados com Job, 24:
Job chapter 24 addresses the apparent impunity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous in the face of this situation. Job wonders why God seems to allow the wicked to prosper and be successful, while the righteous suffer and are oppressed. It describes various forms of oppression and violence that are committed by the wicked against the poor and needy. Below are five verses related to these themes:
Psalm 37:7 - "Rest in the Lord, and wait for him; do not indignant to him because of the one who thrives in his way, because of the man who performs atatutes attives." This verse talks about waiting in God and not worrying about the wicked who thrive in their malicious practices. This can help bring peace to those who are suffering, like Job.
Psalm 73:3-5 - "For I was jealous of the superb, when he saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no squeezes in his death, but firm is his strength. They are not in work like other men, nor are they afflicted as other men. " The psalmist also questions the apparent prosperity of the wicked, observing how they seem to avoid the pain and suffering that others experience.
Isaiah 10:1-2 - "Woe to those who decree unjust laws, and the clerks who prescribe oppression. To divert the poor from judgment, and to snatch the right of the afflicted of my people; to strip their widows and steal the orphans!" This verse denounces the wicked oppression against the needy and vulnerable, which is one of Job's main concerns in chapter 24.
Jeremiah 12:1 - "You are righteous, O Lord, when I plead with you, yet I will speak to you about your judgments. Why do the way of the wicked, and live in peace all who proceed warmly?" This verse presents a situation similar to that of Job, with the prophet Jeremiah questioning God's righteousness before the apparent success of the wicked.
Habakkuk 1:2-3-"How long, Lord, I will cry out, and you will not hear me? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and the dispute arises. " Habakkuk also questions why God seems to allow violence and oppression, especially in relation to God's people.
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