English Standard Version ESV
New Revised Standard NRS
1 “Why are not times of judgment kept by the Almighty, and why do those who know him never see his days?
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"Why are times not kept by the Almighty, and why do those who know him never see his days?
2 Some move landmarks; they seize flocks and pasture them.
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The wicked remove landmarks; they seize flocks and pasture them.
3 They drive away the donkey of the fatherless; they take the widow’s ox for a pledge.
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They drive away the donkey of the orphan; they take the widow's ox for a pledge.
4 They thrust the poor off the road; the poor of the earth all hide themselves.
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They thrust the needy off the road; the poor of the earth all hide themselves.
5 Behold, like wild donkeys in the desert the poor go out to their toil, seeking game; the wasteland yields food for their children.
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Like wild asses in the desert they go out to their toil, scavenging in the wasteland food for their young.
6 They gather their fodder in the field, and they glean the vineyard of the wicked man.
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They reap in a field not their own and they glean in the vineyard of the wicked.
7 They lie all night naked, without clothing, and have no covering in the cold.
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They lie all night naked, without clothing, and have no covering in the cold.
8 They are wet with the rain of the mountains and cling to the rock for lack of shelter.
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They are wet with the rain of the mountains, and cling to the rock for want of shelter.
9 (There are those who snatch the fatherless child from the breast, and they take a pledge against the poor. )
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"There are those who snatch the orphan child from the breast, and take as a pledge the infant of the poor.
10 They go about naked, without clothing; hungry, they carry the sheaves;
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They go about naked, without clothing; though hungry, they carry the sheaves;
11 among the olive rows of the wicked they make oil; they tread the winepresses, but suffer thirst.
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between their terraces they press out oil; they tread the wine presses, but suffer thirst.
12 From out of the city the dying groan, and the soul of the wounded cries for help; yet God charges no one with wrong.
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From the city the dying groan, and the throat of the wounded cries for help; yet God pays no attention to their prayer.
13 “There are those who rebel against the light, who are not acquainted with its ways, and do not stay in its paths.
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"There are those who rebel against the light, who are not acquainted with its ways, and do not stay in its paths.
14 The murderer rises before it is light, that he may kill the poor and needy, and in the night he is like a thief.
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The murderer rises at dusk to kill the poor and needy, and in the night is like a thief.
15 The eye of the adulterer also waits for the twilight, saying, ‘No eye will see me’; and he veils his face.
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The eye of the adulterer also waits for the twilight, saying, "No eye will see me'; and he disguises his face.
16 In the dark they dig through houses; by day they shut themselves up; they do not know the light.
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In the dark they dig through houses; by day they shut themselves up; they do not know the light.
17 For deep darkness is morning to all of them; for they are friends with the terrors of deep darkness.
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For deep darkness is morning to all of them; for they are friends with the terrors of deep darkness.
18 “You say, ‘Swift are they on the face of the waters; their portion is cursed in the land; no treader turns toward their vineyards.
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"Swift are they on the face of the waters; their portion in the land is cursed; no treader turns toward their vineyards.
19 Drought and heat snatch away the snow waters; so does Sheol those who have sinned.
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Drought and heat snatch away the snow waters; so does Sheol those who have sinned.
20 The womb forgets them; the worm finds them sweet; they are no longer remembered, so wickedness is broken like a tree. ’
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The womb forgets them; the worm finds them sweet; they are no longer remembered; so wickedness is broken like a tree.
21 “They wrong the barren, childless woman, and do no good to the widow.
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"They harm the childless woman, and do no good to the widow.
22 Yet God prolongs the life of the mighty by his power; they rise up when they despair of life.
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Yet God prolongs the life of the mighty by his power; they rise up when they despair of life.
23 He gives them security, and they are supported, and his eyes are upon their ways.
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He gives them security, and they are supported; his eyes are upon their ways.
24 They are exalted a little while, and then are gone; they are brought low and gathered up like all others; they are cut off like the heads of grain.
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They are exalted a little while, and then are gone; they wither and fade like the mallow; they are cut off like the heads of grain.
25 If it is not so, who will prove me a liar and show that there is nothing in what I say? ”
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If it is not so, who will prove me a liar, and show that there is nothing in what I say?"
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.