Study Desk

"^(C1)Why are ^(F1)times not stored up by the Almighty, And why do those who know Him not see ^(C2)His ^(F1)days?

-"People ^(C1)remove landmarks; They seize and ^(F1)devour flocks.

-"They drive away the donkeys of ^(C1)orphans; They seize the ^(C2)widow's ox as a pledge.

-"They push ^(C1)the needy aside from the road; The ^(C2)poor of the land have to hide themselves together.

-"Behold, like ^(C1)wild donkeys in the wilderness They ^(C2)go out scavenging for food in their activity, As ^(F1)bread for their children in the desert.

-"They harvest their feed in the field And glean the vineyard of the wicked.

-"^(C1)They spend the night naked, without clothing, And have no covering against the cold.

-"They are wet from the mountain rains, And they hug the rock for lack of a shelter.

-"Others snatch an ^(C1)orphan from the breast, And they seize it as a pledge against the poor.

-"The poor move about naked without clothing, And they carry sheaves, while going hungry.

-"Within the walls they produce oil; They tread wine presses but go thirsty.

-"From the city people groan, And the souls of the wounded cry for help; Yet God ^(C1)does not pay attention to the offensiveness.

"^(F1)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 ^(C1)arises at dawn; He ^(C2)kills the poor and the needy, And at night he is like a thief.

-"The eye of the ^(C1)adulterer watches for ^(F1)twilight, Saying, 'No eye will see me.' And he ^(F2)disguises his face.

-"In the darkness they ^(C1)dig into houses, They ^(C2)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 ^(C1)terrors of thick darkness.

"They are ^(F1)(C1)insignificant on the surface of the water; Their plot of land on the earth is ^(C2)cursed. They do not turn ^(F2)toward the ^(C3)vineyards.

-"Dryness and heat ^(C1)snatch away the snow waters, As ^(F1)(C2)Sheol snatches those who have sinned.

-"A ^(F1)(C1)mother will forget him; The ^(C2)maggot feeds sweetly until he is ^(C3)no longer remembered. And injustice will be broken ^(C4)like a tree.

-"He wrongs the ^(F1)infertile woman, And does no good for ^(C1)the widow.

-"But He drags off the mighty by ^(C1)His power; He rises, but ^(C2)no one has assurance of life.

-"He provides them ^(C1)with security, and they are supported; And His ^(C2)eyes are on their ways.

-"They are exalted a ^(C1)little while, then they are gone; Moreover, they are ^(C2)brought low, and like everything they are gathered up; Like the heads of grain they wither.

-"Now if it is not so, ^(C1)who can prove me a liar, And make my speech worthless?"