¶ Why, seeing¹ times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that know² him not see³ his days?

Some remove the landmarks⁴; they violently⁵ take away flocks, and feed thereof⁶.

They drive⁷ away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow's ox for a pledge.

They turn⁸ the needy out of the way: the poor of the earth hide⁹ themselves together.

Behold, as wild asses¹⁰ in the desert, go they forth to their work; rising¹¹ betimes for a prey: the wilderness¹² yieldeth food for them and for their children.

They reap¹³ every one his corn¹⁴ in the field: and they gather the vintage of the wicked.

They cause the naked¹⁵ to lodge without clothing, that they have no covering¹⁶ in the cold.

They are wet¹⁷ with the showers of the mountains, and embrace¹⁸ the rock for want of a shelter.

¹⁹They pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor.

¶ They cause him to go naked without clothing, and they take away²⁰ the sheaf from the hungry;

²¹Which make oil within their walls, and tread their winepresses, and suffer thirst.

Men groan²² from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded²³ crieth out: yet God²⁴ layeth not folly to them.

¶ They are of those that rebel²⁵ against the light; they know²⁶ not the ways thereof, nor abide²⁷ in the paths thereof.

The murderer²⁸ rising with the light killeth the poor and needy, and in the night²⁹ is as a thief.

The eye³⁰ also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye³¹ shall see me: and disguiseth his face³².

In the dark³³ they dig through houses, which they had marked for themselves in the daytime: they know³⁴ not the light.

For the morning is to them even as the shadow of death: if one know them, they are in the terrors³⁵ of the shadow of death.

¶ He is swift³⁶ as the waters; their portion³⁷ is cursed in the earth: he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards.

Drought³⁸ and heat consume³⁹ the snow waters: so doth the grave those which have sinned.

¶ The womb shall forget him; the worm⁴⁰ shall feed sweetly on him; he shall be⁴¹ no more remembered; and wickedness⁴² shall be broken as a tree.

He evil⁴³ entreateth the barren that beareth not: and doeth not⁴⁴ good to the widow.

He draweth⁴⁵ also the mighty with his power: he riseth up, and no man is sure of life⁴⁶.

Though it be given⁴⁷ him to be in safety, whereon⁴⁸ he resteth; yet his eyes⁴⁹ are upon their ways.

They are exalted⁵⁰ for a little while, but are gone⁵¹ and brought low; they are taken out⁵² of the way as all other, and cut off as the tops of the ears of corn.

And if it be not so now, who will make⁵³ me a liar, and make my speech nothing worth?