Job 24:13-24

Job 24:13-25 The Message (MSG)

“Then there are those who avoid light at all costs, who scorn the light-filled path. When the sun goes down, the murderer gets up— kills the poor and robs the defenseless. Sexual predators can’t wait for nightfall, thinking, ‘No one can see us now.’ Burglars do their work at night, but keep well out of sight through the day. They want nothing to do with light. Deep darkness is morning for that bunch; they make the terrors of darkness their companions in crime. “They are scraps of wood floating on the water— useless, cursed junk, good for nothing. As surely as snow melts under the hot, summer sun, sinners disappear in the grave. The womb has forgotten them, worms have relished them— nothing that is evil lasts. Unscrupulous, they prey on those less fortunate. However much they strut and flex their muscles, there’s nothing to them. They’re hollow. They may have an illusion of security, but God has his eye on them. They may get their brief successes, but then it’s over, nothing to show for it. Like yesterday’s newspaper, they’re used to wrap up the garbage. You’re free to try to prove me a liar, but you won’t be able to do it.”

Job 24:13-24 King James Version (KJV)

They are of those that rebel against the light; They know not the ways thereof, Nor abide in the paths thereof. The murderer rising with the light killeth the poor and needy, And in the night is as a thief. The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, Saying, No eye shall see me: And disguiseth his face. In the dark they dig through houses, Which they had marked for themselves in the daytime: They know not the light. 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. He is swift as the waters; Their portion is cursed in the earth: He beholdeth not the way of the vineyards. Drought and heat consume the snow waters: So doth the grave those which have sinned. 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. He evil entreateth the barren that beareth not: And doeth not good to the widow. He draweth also the mighty with his power: He riseth up, and no man is sure of life. Though it be given him to be in safety, whereon he resteth; Yet his eyes are upon their ways. 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.

Job 24:13-24 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)

“Others have been with those who rebel against the light; They do not want to know its ways Nor abide in its paths. The murderer arises at dawn; He kills the poor and the needy, And at night he is as a thief. The eye of the adulterer waits for the twilight, Saying, ‘No eye will see me.’ And he disguises his face. In the dark they dig into houses, They shut themselves up by day; They do not know the light. For the morning is the same to him as thick darkness, For he is familiar with the terrors of thick darkness. “They are insignificant on the surface of the water; Their portion is cursed on the earth. They do not turn toward the vineyards. Drought and heat consume the snow waters, So does Sheol those who have sinned. A mother will forget him; The worm feeds sweetly till he is no longer remembered. And wickedness will be broken like a tree. He wrongs the barren woman And does no good for the widow. But He drags off the valiant by His power; He rises, but no one has assurance of life. He provides them with security, and they are supported; And His eyes are on their ways. They are exalted a little while, then they are gone; Moreover, they are brought low and like everything gathered up; Even like the heads of grain they are cut off.

Job 24:13-24 New Century Version (NCV)

“Those who fight against the light do not know God’s ways or stay in his paths. When the day is over, the murderers get up to kill the poor and needy. At night they go about like thieves. Those who are guilty of adultery watch for the night, thinking, ‘No one will see us,’ and they keep their faces covered. In the dark, evil people break into houses. In the daytime they shut themselves up in their own houses, because they want nothing to do with the light. Darkness is like morning to all these evil people who make friends with the terrors of darkness. “They are like foam floating on the water. Their part of the land is cursed; no one uses the road that goes by their vineyards. As heat and dryness quickly melt the snow, so the grave quickly takes away the sinners. Their mothers forget them, and worms will eat their bodies. They will not be remembered, so wickedness is broken in pieces like a stick. These evil people abuse women who cannot have children and show no kindness to widows. But God drags away the strong by his power. Even though they seem strong, they do not know how long they will live. God may let these evil people feel safe, but he is watching their ways. For a little while they are important, and then they die; they are laid low and buried like everyone else; they are cut off like the heads of grain.

Job 24:13-24 American Standard Version (ASV)

These are of them that rebel against the light; They know not the ways thereof, Nor abide in the paths thereof. The murderer riseth with the light; He killeth the poor and needy; And in the night he is as a thief. The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, Saying, No eye shall see me: And he disguiseth his face. In the dark they dig through houses: They shut themselves up in the day-time; They know not the light. For the morning is to all of them as thick darkness; For they know the terrors of the thick darkness. Swiftly they pass away upon the face of the waters; Their portion is cursed in the earth: They turn not into the way of the vineyards. Drought and heat consume the snow waters: So doth Sheol those that have sinned. The womb shall forget him; The worm shall feed sweetly on him; He shall be no more remembered; And unrighteousness shall be broken as a tree. He devoureth the barren that beareth not, And doeth not good to the widow. Yet God preserveth the mighty by his power: He riseth up that hath no assurance of life. God giveth them to be in security, and they rest thereon; And his eyes are upon their ways. They are exalted; yet a little while, and they are gone; Yea, they are brought low, they are taken out of the way as all others, And are cut off as the tops of the ears of grain.

Job 24:13-24 New International Version (NIV)

“There are those who rebel against the light, who do not know its ways or stay in its paths. When daylight is gone, the murderer rises up, kills the poor and needy, and in the night steals forth like a thief. The eye of the adulterer watches for dusk; he thinks, ‘No eye will see me,’ and he keeps his face concealed. In the dark, thieves break into houses, but by day they shut themselves in; they want nothing to do with the light. For all of them, midnight is their morning; they make friends with the terrors of darkness. “Yet they are foam on the surface of the water; their portion of the land is cursed, so that no one goes to the vineyards. As heat and drought snatch away the melted snow, so the grave snatches away those who have sinned. The womb forgets them, the worm feasts on them; the wicked are no longer remembered but are broken like a tree. They prey on the barren and childless woman, and to the widow they show no kindness. But God drags away the mighty by his power; though they become established, they have no assurance of life. He may let them rest in a feeling of security, but his eyes are on their ways. For a little while they are exalted, and then they are gone; they are brought low and gathered up like all others; they are cut off like heads of grain.

Job 24:13-24 New King James Version (NKJV)

“There are those who rebel against the light; They do not know its ways Nor abide in its paths. The murderer rises with the light; He kills the poor and needy; And in the night he is like a thief. The eye of the adulterer waits for the twilight, Saying, ‘No eye will see me’; And he disguises his face. In the dark they break into houses Which they marked for themselves in the daytime; They do not know the light. For the morning is the same to them as the shadow of death; If someone recognizes them, They are in the terrors of the shadow of death. “They should be swift on the face of the waters, Their portion should be cursed in the earth, So that no one would turn into the way of their vineyards. As drought and heat consume the snow waters, So the grave consumes those who have sinned. The womb should forget him, The worm should feed sweetly on him; He should be remembered no more, And wickedness should be broken like a tree. For he preys on the barren who do not bear, And does no good for the widow. “But God draws the mighty away with His power; He rises up, but no man is sure of life. He gives them security, and they rely on it; Yet His eyes are on their ways. They are exalted for a little while, Then they are gone. They are brought low; They are taken out of the way like all others; They dry out like the heads of grain.

Job 24:13-24 Amplified Bible (AMP)

¶“Others have been with those who rebel against the light; They do not want to know its ways Nor stay in its paths. “The murderer rises at dawn; He kills the poor and the needy, And at night he becomes a thief. “The eye of the adulterer waits for the twilight, Saying, ‘No eye will see me,’ And he covers his face. “In the dark they dig into [the penetrable walls of] houses; They shut themselves up by day; They do not know the light [of day]. “For the morning is the same to him as the thick darkness [of midnight]; For he is familiar with the terrors of thick darkness. ¶“They are insignificant on the surface of the water; Their portion is cursed on the earth; They do not turn toward the vineyards. “Drought and heat consume the snow waters; So does Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead) [consume] those who have sinned. “A mother will forget him; The worm feeds on him until he is no longer remembered. And wickedness will be broken like a tree [which cannot be restored]. [Prov 10:7] “He preys on the barren (childless) woman And does no good for the widow. “Yet God draws away the mighty by His power; He rises, but no one has assurance of life. “God gives them security, and they are supported; And His eyes are on their ways. “They are exalted for a little while, and then they are gone; Moreover, they are brought low and like everything [they are] gathered up and taken out of the way; Even like the heads of grain they are cut off.

Job 24:13-24 New Living Translation (NLT)

“Wicked people rebel against the light. They refuse to acknowledge its ways or stay in its paths. The murderer rises in the early dawn to kill the poor and needy; at night he is a thief. The adulterer waits for the twilight, saying, ‘No one will see me then.’ He hides his face so no one will know him. Thieves break into houses at night and sleep in the daytime. They are not acquainted with the light. The black night is their morning. They ally themselves with the terrors of the darkness. “But they disappear like foam down a river. Everything they own is cursed, and they are afraid to enter their own vineyards. The grave consumes sinners just as drought and heat consume snow. Their own mothers will forget them. Maggots will find them sweet to eat. No one will remember them. Wicked people are broken like a tree in the storm. They cheat the woman who has no son to help her. They refuse to help the needy widow. “God, in his power, drags away the rich. They may rise high, but they have no assurance of life. They may be allowed to live in security, but God is always watching them. And though they are great now, in a moment they will be gone like all others, cut off like heads of grain.

Job 24:13-24 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)

“There are those who rebel against the light, who are not acquainted with its ways, and do not stay in its paths. The murderer rises before it is light, that he may kill the poor and needy, and in the night he is like a thief. The eye of the adulterer also waits for the twilight, saying, ‘No eye will see me’; and he veils his face. In the dark they dig through houses; by day they shut themselves up; they do not know the light. For deep darkness is morning to all of them; for they are friends with the terrors of deep darkness. “You say, ‘Swift are they on the face of the waters; their portion is cursed in the land; no treader turns toward their vineyards. Drought and heat snatch away the snow waters; so does Sheol those who have sinned. The womb forgets them; the worm finds them sweet; they are no longer remembered, so wickedness is broken like a tree.’ “They wrong the barren, childless woman, and do no good to the widow. Yet God prolongs the life of the mighty by his power; they rise up when they despair of life. He gives them security, and they are supported, and his eyes are upon their ways. They are exalted a little while, and then are gone; they are brought low and gathered up like all others; they are cut off like the heads of grain.