King James Version KJV
New Revised Standard NRS
1 Why, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that know him not see his days?
1
"Why are times not kept by the Almighty, and why do those who know him never see his days?
2 Some remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks, and feed thereof.
2
The wicked remove landmarks; they seize flocks and pasture them.
3 They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow's ox for a pledge.
3
They drive away the donkey of the orphan; they take the widow's ox for a pledge.
4 They turn the needy out of the way: the poor of the earth hide themselves together.
4
They thrust the needy off the road; the poor of the earth all hide themselves.
5 Behold, as wild asses in the desert, go they forth to their work; rising betimes for a prey: the wilderness yieldeth food for them and for their children.
5
Like wild asses in the desert they go out to their toil, scavenging in the wasteland food for their young.
6 They reap every one his corn in the field: and they gather the vintage of the wicked.
6
They reap in a field not their own and they glean in the vineyard of the wicked.
7 They cause the naked to lodge without clothing, that they have no covering in the cold.
7
They lie all night naked, without clothing, and have no covering in the cold.
8 They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter.
8
They are wet with the rain of the mountains, and cling to the rock for want of shelter.
9 They pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor.
9
"There are those who snatch the orphan child from the breast, and take as a pledge the infant of the poor.
10 They cause him to go naked without clothing, and they take away the sheaf from the hungry;
10
They go about naked, without clothing; though hungry, they carry the sheaves;
11 Which make oil within their walls, and tread their winepresses, and suffer thirst.
11
between their terraces they press out oil; they tread the wine presses, but suffer thirst.
12 Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded crieth out: yet God layeth not folly to them.
12
From the city the dying groan, and the throat of the wounded cries for help; yet God pays no attention to their prayer.
13 They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof.
13
"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 rising with the light killeth the poor and needy, and in the night is as a thief.
14
The murderer rises at dusk to kill the poor and needy, and in the night is like a thief.
15 The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth his face.
15
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, which they had marked for themselves in the daytime: they know not the light.
16
In the dark they dig through houses; by day they shut themselves up; they do not know the light.
17 For the morning is to them even as the shadow of death: if one know them, they are in the terrors of the shadow of death.
17
For deep darkness is morning to all of them; for they are friends with the terrors of deep darkness.
18 He is swift as the waters; their portion is cursed in the earth: he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards.
18
"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 consume the snow waters: so doth the grave those which have sinned.
19
Drought and heat snatch away the snow waters; so does Sheol those who have sinned.
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.
20
The womb forgets them; the worm finds them sweet; they are no longer remembered; so wickedness is broken like a tree.
21 He evil entreateth the barren that beareth not: and doeth not good to the widow.
21
"They harm the childless woman, and do no good to the widow.
22 He draweth also the mighty with his power: he riseth up, and no man is sure of life.
22
Yet God prolongs the life of the mighty by his power; they rise up when they despair of life.
23 Though it be given him to be in safety, whereon he resteth; yet his eyes are upon their ways.
23
He gives them security, and they are supported; his eyes are upon their ways.
24 They are exalted for a little while, but are gone and brought low; they are taken out of the way as all other, and cut off as the tops of the ears of corn.
24
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 And if it be not so now, who will make me a liar, and make my speech nothing worth?
25
If it is not so, who will prove me a liar, and show that there is nothing in what I say?"
The King James Version is in the public domain.
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.