1 Why are times not stored up by the Ruler of all, and why do those who have knowledge of him not see his days?

1 מַדּ֗וּעַ מִ֭שַּׁדַּי לֹא־נִצְפְּנ֣וּ עִתִּ֑ים וְיֹדְעֹו וְ֝יֹדְעָ֗יו לֹא־חָ֥זוּ יָמָֽיו׃

2 The landmarks are changed by evil men, they violently take away flocks, together with their keepers.

2 גְּבֻלֹ֥ות יַשִּׂ֑יגוּ עֵ֥דֶר גָּ֝זְל֗וּ וַיִּרְעֽוּ׃

3 They send away the ass of him who has no father, they take the widow's ox for debt.

3 חֲמֹ֣ור יְתֹומִ֣ים יִנְהָ֑גוּ יַ֝חְבְּל֗וּ שֹׁ֣ור אַלְמָנָֽה׃

4 The crushed are turned out of the way; all the poor of the earth go into a secret place together.

4 יַטּ֣וּ אֶבְיֹונִ֣ים מִדָּ֑רֶךְ יַ֥חַד חֻ֝בְּא֗וּ עֲנִיֵּי־אָֽרֶץ׃

5 Like asses in the waste land they go out to their work, looking for food with care; from the waste land they get bread for their children.

5 הֵ֤ן פְּרָאִ֨ים׀ בַּֽמִּדְבָּ֗ר יָצְא֣וּ בְּ֭פָעֳלָם מְשַׁחֲרֵ֣י לַטָּ֑רֶף עֲרָבָ֥ה לֹ֥ו לֶ֝֗חֶם לַנְּעָרִֽים׃

6 They get mixed grain from the field, and they take away the late fruit from the vines of those who have wealth.

6 בַּ֭שָּׂדֶה בְּלִילֹ֣ו יַקְצִירוּ יִקְצֹ֑ורוּ וְכֶ֖רֶם רָשָׁ֣ע יְלַקֵּֽשׁוּ׃

7 They take their rest at night without clothing, and have no cover in the cold.

7 עָרֹ֣ום יָ֭לִינוּ מִבְּלִ֣י לְב֑וּשׁ וְאֵ֥ין כְּ֝ס֗וּת בַּקָּרָֽה׃

8 They are wet with the rain of the mountains, and get into the cracks of the rock for cover.

8 מִזֶּ֣רֶם הָרִ֣ים יִרְטָ֑בוּ וּֽמִבְּלִ֥י מַ֝חְסֶ֗ה חִבְּקוּ־צֽוּר׃

9 The child without a father is forced from its mother's breast, and they take the young children of the poor for debt.

9 יִ֭גְזְלוּ מִשֹּׁ֣ד יָתֹ֑ום וְֽעַל־עָנִ֥י יַחְבֹּֽלוּ׃

10 Others go about without clothing, and though they have no food, they get in the grain from the fields.

10 עָרֹ֣ום הִ֭לְּכוּ בְּלִ֣י לְב֑וּשׁ וּ֝רְעֵבִ֗ים נָ֣שְׂאוּ עֹֽמֶר׃

11 Between the lines of olive-trees they make oil; though they have no drink, they are crushing out the grapes.

11 בֵּין־שׁוּרֹתָ֥ם יַצְהִ֑ירוּ יְקָבִ֥ים דָּ֝רְכ֗וּ וַיִּצְמָֽאוּ׃

12 From the town come sounds of pain from those who are near death, and the soul of the wounded is crying out for help; but God does not take note of their prayer.

12 מֵ֘עִ֤יר מְתִ֨ים׀ יִנְאָ֗קוּ וְנֶֽפֶשׁ־חֲלָלִ֥ים תְּשַׁוֵּ֑עַ וֶ֝אֱלֹ֗והַּ לֹא־יָשִׂ֥ים תִּפְלָֽה׃

13 Then there are those who are haters of the light, who have no knowledge of its ways, and do not go in them.

13 הֵ֤מָּה׀ הָיוּ֮ בְּֽמֹרְדֵ֫י־אֹ֥ור לֹֽא־הִכִּ֥ירוּ דְרָכָ֑יו וְלֹ֥א יָ֝שְׁב֗וּ בִּנְתִיבֹתָֽיו׃

14 He who is purposing death gets up before day, so that he may put to death the poor and those in need.

14 לָאֹ֡ור יָ֘ק֤וּם רֹוצֵ֗חַ יִֽקְטָל־עָנִ֥י וְאֶבְיֹ֑ון וּ֝בַלַּ֗יְלָה יְהִ֣י כַגַּנָּֽב׃

15 And the man whose desire is for the wife of another is waiting for the evening, saying, No eye will see me; and he puts a cover on his face. And in the night the thief goes about;

15 וְעֵ֤ין נֹאֵ֨ף׀ שָׁ֤מְרָֽה נֶ֣שֶׁף לֵ֭אמֹר לֹא־תְשׁוּרֵ֣נִי עָ֑יִן וְסֵ֖תֶר פָּנִ֣ים יָשִֽׂים׃

16 In the dark he makes holes in the walls of houses: in the daytime they are shutting themselves up, they have no knowledge of the light.

16 חָתַ֥ר בַּחֹ֗שֶׁךְ בָּ֫תִּ֥ים יֹומָ֥ם חִתְּמוּ־לָ֗מֹו לֹא־יָ֥דְעוּ אֹֽור׃

17 For the middle of the night is as morning to them, they are not troubled by the fear of the dark.

17 כִּ֤י יַחְדָּ֨ו׀ בֹּ֣קֶר לָ֣מֹו צַלְמָ֑וֶת כִּֽי־יַ֝כִּ֗יר בַּלְהֹ֥ות צַלְמָֽוֶת׃

18 They go quickly on the face of the waters; their heritage is cursed in the earth; the steps of the crusher of grapes are not turned to their vine-garden.

18 קַֽל־ה֤וּא׀ עַל־פְּנֵי־מַ֗יִם תְּקֻלַּ֣ל חֶלְקָתָ֣ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ לֹֽא־יִ֝פְנֶה דֶּ֣רֶךְ כְּרָמִֽים׃

19 Snow waters become dry with the heat: so do sinners go down into the underworld.

19 צִיָּ֤ה גַם־חֹ֗ם יִגְזְל֥וּ מֵֽימֵי־שֶׁ֗לֶג שְׁאֹ֣ול חָטָֽאוּ׃

20 The public place of his town has no more knowledge of him, and his name has gone from the memory of men: he is rooted up like a dead tree.

20 יִשְׁכָּ֘חֵ֤הוּ רֶ֨חֶם׀ מְתָ֘קֹ֤ו רִמָּ֗ה עֹ֥וד לֹֽא־יִזָּכֵ֑ר וַתִּשָּׁבֵ֖ר כָּעֵ֣ץ עַוְלָֽה׃

21 He is not kind to the widow, and he has no pity for her child.

21 רֹעֶ֣ה עֲ֭קָרָה לֹ֣א תֵלֵ֑ד וְ֝אַלְמָנָ֗ה לֹ֣א יְיֵטִֽיב׃

22 But God by his power gives long life to the strong; he gets up again, though he has no hope of life.

22 וּמָשַׁ֣ךְ אַבִּירִ֣ים בְּכֹחֹ֑ו יָ֝ק֗וּם וְֽלֹא־יַאֲמִ֥ין בַּֽחַיִּֽין׃

23 He takes away his fear of danger and gives him support; and his eyes are on his ways.

23 יִתֶּן־לֹ֣ו לָ֭בֶטַח וְיִשָּׁעֵ֑ן וְ֝עֵינֵ֗יהוּ עַל־דַּרְכֵיהֶֽם׃

24 For a short time they are lifted up; then they are gone; they are made low, they are pulled off like fruit, and like the heads of grain they are cut off.

24 רֹ֤ומּוּ מְּעַ֨ט³׀ וְֽאֵינֶ֗נּוּ וְֽהֻמְּכ֗וּ כַּכֹּ֥ל יִקָּפְצ֑וּן וּכְרֹ֖אשׁ שִׁבֹּ֣לֶת יִמָּֽלוּ׃

25 And if it is not so, now, who will make it clear that my words are false, and that what I say is of no value?

25 וְאִם־לֹ֣א אֵ֭פֹו מִ֣י יַכְזִיבֵ֑נִי וְיָשֵׂ֥ם לְ֝אַ֗ל מִלָּתִֽי׃