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Social Injustice will Be Punished

18 “They remain only a short time on the water’s surface;
    their inheritance will be cursed in the land;
        no one will work in their vineyards.
19 As drought and heat evaporate melting snow,
    that’s what Sheol[a] does with sinners.
20 The womb will forget them.
    Maggots will find them to be a delicacy!
They won’t be remembered anymore,
    their iniquity will be cut to pieces like firewood.[b]

21 “They prey on the barren woman,
    and do no favors for widows.
22 God[c] prolongs the life of the strong by his power,
    but they get up in the morning[d] without purpose in life.
23 He gives them security and financial support,
    but he watches everything they do.
24 They’re exalted momentarily, but then they are gone;
    they are humbled,[e] just like all the others.
        They are cut down like heads of corn.
25 If this weren’t so, who can prove that I’m a liar
    by showing that there’s nothing to what I’m saying?”

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Footnotes

  1. Job 24:19 I.e. the realm of the afterlife
  2. Job 24:20 Lit. like a tree
  3. Job 24:22 Lit. He
  4. Job 24:22 The Heb. lacks in the morning
  5. Job 24:24 Or brought low

18 “He himself[a] is swift on the water’s surface;
their portion is cursed in the land.
No one turns toward the path of their vineyards.[b]
19 Drought and heat snatch away the snow waters,
like Sheol snatches away those[c] who have sinned.
20 The womb forgets him.
The maggot feasts on him until he is no longer remembered,
and wickedness is broken like a[d] tree.
21 He feeds on the barren, who does not have a child,
and does no good to the widow.
22 Yet[e] he[f] carries off the tyrants by his strength;
if he rises up, then[g] he[h] cannot be certain of life.[i]
23 He[j] gives security to him, and he is[k] supported,
but[l] his eyes are upon their ways.
24 They are exalted a little while, then[m] they are gone.[n]
And they are brought low; they are cut off like all others,
and like the heads of grain they wither away.
25 “And if it is not so, then who can prove me a liar
and reduce my word to nothing?”

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Footnotes

  1. Job 24:18 Emphatic personal pronoun
  2. Job 24:18 Literally “He does not turn toward the path of the vineyard”
  3. Job 24:19 Or “they/them”
  4. Job 24:20 Or “the”
  5. Job 24:22 Hebrew “And”
  6. Job 24:22 The probable antecedent is God
  7. Job 24:22 Hebrew “and”
  8. Job 24:22 The antecedent of the singular here probably changes to the wicked person
  9. Job 24:22 Hebrew “the life”
  10. Job 24:23 The probable antecedent is God
  11. Job 24:23 Or “they are”
  12. Job 24:23 Hebrew “and”
  13. Job 24:24 Literally “and”
  14. Job 24:24 Literally “he is not”