¹Why are times not stored up by the Almighty, and why do those who know him not see his days?

²They reach past the boundaries; they seize a flock and pasture it.

³They drive away the donkey of the fatherless; they take as a pledge the ox of the widow.

⁴They turn aside the needy from the path; the poor of the land hide themselves together.

⁵Look, wild donkeys in the wilderness go out to their work, searching early for prey; the desert plain is bread for him, for the boys.

⁶In the field they harvest its mixed fodder, and they gather the late crop of the vineyard of the wicked.

⁷Naked they spend the night without clothing, and they have no covering against the cold.

⁸From the downpour of the mountains they are wet, and without shelter they embrace the rock.

⁹They tear away the fatherless one from the breast, and the poor they take in pledge.

¹⁰Naked they go about without clothing, and hungry they carry the sheaf.

¹¹Between their walls they press oil; they tread the wine-presses and go thirsty.

¹²From the city men groan, and the being of the fatally wounded cries out; yet God does not set down anything unseemly.

¹³They are among those who rebel against the light; they do not recognize its ways and do not dwell in its paths.

¹⁴At the light the murderer rises; he kills the poor and the needy, and in the night he is like the thief.

¹⁵And the eye of the adulterer watches for twilight, saying, "No eye will see me," and he puts a covering over his face.

¹⁶In the darkness he digs into houses; by day they seal themselves in; they do not know the light.

¹⁷For to all of them morning is deep shadow; for he is acquainted with the terrors of deep shadow.

¹⁸Swift is he on the face of the waters; their portion in the land is cursed; he does not turn toward the way of the vineyards.

¹⁹Drought, and also heat, snatch away the waters of snow; Sheol does so to those who have sinned.

²⁰The womb forgets him; the maggot finds him sweet; he is remembered no more; and injustice is broken like a tree.

²¹He grazes on the barren woman who does not bear, and to the widow he does no good.

²²And he draws away the mighty by his power; he rises, and no one trusts in life.

²³He gives him security, so that he leans on it, and his eyes are on their ways.

²⁴They are exalted a little, and he is no more; they are brought low, they are drawn together like everyone, and like the head of an ear of grain they wither.

²⁵And if it is not so, who will prove me a liar and make my speech nothing?