1 Why, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty , do they that know him not see his days ?
2 Some remove the landmarks ; they violently take away flocks , and feed thereof .
3 They drive away the ass of the fatherless , 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 .
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 .
6 They reap every one his corn in the field : and they gather the vintage of the wicked .
7 They cause the naked to lodge without clothing , that they 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 .
9 They pluck the fatherless from the breast , and take a pledge of the poor .
10 They cause him to go naked without clothing , and they take away the sheaf from the hungry ;
11 Which make oil within their walls , and tread their winepresses , and 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 .
13 They are of those that rebel against the light ; they know not the ways thereof , nor abide in the paths thereof .
14 The murderer rising with the light killeth the poor and needy , and in the night is as a thief .
15 The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight , saying , No eye shall see me: and disguiseth his face .
16 In the dark they dig through houses , which they had marked for themselves in the daytime : they know not 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 .
18 He is swift as the waters ; their portion is cursed in the earth : he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards .
19 Drought and heat consume the snow waters : so doth the grave those which 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 .
21 He evil entreateth the barren that beareth not: and doeth not good to the widow .
22 He draweth also the mighty with his power : he riseth up, and no man is sure of life .
23 Though it be given him to be in safety , whereon he resteth ; yet 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 .
25 And if it be not so now, who will make me a liar , and make my speech nothing worth ?