The Unpunished Wicked
Job 24
Job describes oppressors who steal from the fatherless and the widow, mistreat the poor and laborers, and commit violence and adultery under cover of darkness. He questions why the Lord does not judge them at once, though he affirms that their downfall will come in time.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
1
ThomsonBUT why have certain times escaped the notice of the Lord,
BrentonBut why have the seasons been hidden from the Lord,
GreekΔιατί δὲ Κύριον ἔλαθον ὧραι,
2
Thomson—
Brentonwhile the ungodly have passed over the bound, carrying off the flock with the shepherd?
Greekἀσεβεῖς δὲ ὅριον ὑπερέβησαν, ποίμνιον σὺν ποιμένι ἁρπάσαντες;
3
ThomsonThey have driven away the ass of the fatherless; and taken the widow’s cow for a pledge.
BrentonThey have led away the ass of the fatherless, and taken the widow's ox for a pledge.
GreekὙποζύγιον ὀρφανῶν ἀπήγαγον, καὶ βοῦν χήρας ἠνεχύρασαν.
4
ThomsonThey have turned the weak out of the right way; and with one accord the meek of the earth have hid,
BrentonThey have turned aside the weak from the right way: and the meek of the earth have hidden themselves together.
GreekἘξέκλιναν ἀδυνάτους ἐξ ὁδοῦ δικαίας, ὁμοθυμαδὸν δὲ ἐκρύβησαν πρᾳεῖς γῆς.
5
Thomsonand are gone away like asses in a field. They are departed beyond me in their own band. His bread is sweet to his little ones.
BrentonAnd they have departed like asses in the field, having gone forth on my account according to their own order: his bread is sweet to his little ones.
GreekἈπέβησαν δὲ ὥσπερ ὄνοι ἐν ἀγρῷ, ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ ἐξελθόντες τὴν ἑαυτῶν τάξιν· ἡδύνθη αὐτῷ ἄρτος εἰς νεωτέρους.
6
ThomsonThey have reaped before dawn a field not their own; exhausted of strength, have worked the vineyards of the wicked without wages and without food.
BrentonThey have reaped a field that was not their own before the time: the poor have laboured in the vineyards of the ungodly without pay and without food.
GreekἈγρὸν πρὸ ὥρας οὐκ αὐτῶν ὄντα ἐθέρισαν· ἀδύνατοι ἀμπελῶνας ἀσεβῶν ἀμισθὶ καὶ ἀσιτὶ εἰργάσαντο.
7
ThomsonThey [the wicked] have caused many to sleep naked without covering—they have stripped them of clothing necessary for life.
BrentonThey have caused many naked to sleep without clothes, and they have taken away the covering of their body.
GreekΓυμνοὺς πολλοὺς ἐκοίμισαν ἄνευ ἱματίων, ἀμφίασιν δὲ ψυχῆς αὐτῶν ἀφείλαντο.
8
ThomsonThese are wet with the dew of the mountains: and having no shelter, they cling to a rock.
BrentonThey are wet with the drops of the mountains: they have embraced the rock, because they had no shelter.
GreekἈπὸ ψεκάδων ὀρέων ὑγραίνονται· παρὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν ἑαυτοὺς σκέπην, πέτραν περιεβάλοντο.
9
ThomsonThey have torn the orphan from the breast: and him who had fallen they have pressed down.
BrentonThey have snatched the fatherless from the breast, and have afflicted the outcast.
GreekἭρπασαν ὀρφανὸν ἀπὸ μαστοῦ, ἐκπεπτωκότα δὲ ἐταπείνωσαν·
10
ThomsonThey have by injustice caused some to be naked; and robbed the hungry of their morsel.
BrentonAnd they have wrongfully caused others to sleep without clothing, and taken away the morsel of the hungry.
GreekΓυμνοὺς δὲ ἐκοίμισαν ἀδίκως, πεινώντων δὲ τὸν ψωμὸν ἀφείλαντο.
11
Thomson—
BrentonThey have unrighteously laid wait in narrow places, and have not known the righteous way.
GreekἘν στενοῖς ἀδίκως ἐνήδρευσαν, ὁδὸν δὲ δικαίαν οὐκ ᾔδεισαν.
12
ThomsonSome are expelled from the city and their own houses: and the soul of babes heave heavy groans.
BrentonWho have cast forth the poor from the city and their own houses, and the soul of the children has groaned aloud.
GreekΟἳ ἐκ πόλεως καὶ οἴκων ἰδίων ἐξεβάλοντο, ψυχὴ δὲ νηπίων ἐστέναξε μέγα.
13
Thomson—
BrentonWhy then has he not visited these? forasmuch as they were upon the earth, and took no notice, and they knew not the way of righteousness, neither have they walked in their appointed paths?
GreekΑὐτὸς δὲ διατί τούτων ἐπισκοπὴν οὐ πεποίηται; ἐπὶ γῆς ὄντων αὐτῶν καὶ οὐκ ἐπέγνωσαν, ὁδὸν δὲ δικαιοσύνης οὐκ ᾔδεισαν, οὐδὲ ἀτραποὺς αὐτῶν ἐπορεύθησαν.
14
ThomsonAnd hath He who knew their works delivered them up to darkness? And will He be as a thief in the night?
BrentonBut having known their works, he delivered them into darkness: and in the night one will be as a thief:
GreekΓνοὺς δὲ αὐτῶν τὰ ἔργα, παρέδωκεν αὐτοὺς εἰς σκότος, καὶ νυκτὸς ἔσται ὡς κλέπτης.
15
ThomsonWhen the eye of the adulterer watched for darkness; saying, No eye shall discover me—when he having put a mask on his face
Brentonand the eye of the adulterer has watched for the darkness, saying, Eye shall not perceive me, and he puts a covering on his face.
GreekΚαὶ ὀφθαλμὸς μοιχοῦ ἐφύλαξε σκότος, λέγων, οὐ προνοήσει με ὀφθαλμὸς, καὶ ἀποκρυβὴν προσώπου ἔθετο.
16
Thomsondigged through houses in the dark: (during the day they had shut themselves up—they had no acquaintance with light)
BrentonIn darkness he digs through houses: by day they conceal themselves securely: they know not the light.
GreekΔιώρυξεν ἐν σκότει οἰκίας, ἡμέρας ἐσφράγισαν ἑαυτοὺς, οὐκ ἐπέγνωσαν φῶς.
17
Thomsonbecause the morning is to all these as the shadow of death—because the terror of the shadow of death should acknowledge them;
BrentonFor the morning is to them all as the shadow of death, for each will be conscious of the terror of the shadow of death.
GreekὍτι ὁμοθυμαδὸν αὐτοῖς τὸ πρωῒ σκιὰ θανάτου, ὅτι ἐπιγνώσεται τάραχος σκιᾶς θανάτου.
18
Thomsonit is swift on the face of the water. The portion of these on the earth should be cursed
BrentonHe is swift on the face of the water: let his portion be cursed on the earth; and let their plants be laid bare.
GreekἘλαφρός ἐστιν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον ὕδατος, καταραθείη ἡ μερὶς αὐτῶν ἐπὶ γῆς,
19
Thomson—
BrentonLet them be withered upon the earth; for they have plundered the sheaves of the fatherless.
Greekἀναφανείη δὲ τὰ φυτὰ αὐτῶν ἐπὶ γῆς ξηρά· ἀγκαλίδα γὰρ ὀρφανῶν ἥρπασαν.
20
ThomsonNow was such a one’s sin brought to remembrance? Though he was dark as the darkness of night; retribution should be made for what he hath done: and every wicked man should be broken, like a tree which cannot be healed.
BrentonThen is his sin brought to remembrance, and he vanishes like a vapour of dew: but let what he has done be recompensed to him, and let every unrighteous one be crushed like rotten wood.
GreekΕἶτʼ ἀνεμνήσθη αὐτοῦ ἡ ἁμαρτία· ὥσπερ δὲ ὁμίχλη δρόσου ἀφανὴς ἐγένετο· ἀποδοθείη δὲ αὐτῷ ἃ ἔπραξε, συντριβείη δὲ πᾶς ἄδικος ἶσα ξύλῳ ἀνιάτῳ.
21
ThomsonBecause he did not treat the barren with tenderness, and had no compassion for a poor weak woman.
BrentonFor he has not treated the barren woman well, and has had no pity on a feeble woman.
GreekΣτείραν δὲ οὐκ εὖ ἐποίησε, καὶ γύναιον οὐκ ἠλέησε.
22
ThomsonBut overthrew the helpless with wrath: therefore when he riseth he should have no security for his own life:
BrentonAnd in wrath he has overthrown the helpless: therefore when he has arisen, a man will not feel secure of his own life.
GreekΘυμῷ δὲ κατέστρεψεν ἀδυνάτους· ἀναστὰς τοιγαροῦν, οὐ μὴ πιστεύσῃ κατὰ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ ζωῆς.
23
Thomsonwhen sick, he should have no hopes of recovery: but should perish by his disorder.
BrentonWhen he has fallen sick, let him not hope to recover: but let him perish by disease.
GreekΜαλακισθεὶς, μὴ ἐλπιζέτω ὑγιασθῆναι, ἀλλὰ πεσεῖται νόσῳ.
24
ThomsonAs his exaltation afflicted many: he should wither like mallows by heat: or like an ear of corn which fell of itself from the stalk.
BrentonFor his exaltation has hurt many; but he has withered as mallows in the heat, or as an ear of corn falling off of itself from the stalk.
GreekΠολλοὺς γὰρ ἐκάκωσε τὸ ὕψωμα αὐτοῦ, ἐμαράνθη δὲ ὥσπερ μολόχη ἐν καύματι, ἢ ὥσπερ στάχυς ἀπὸ καλάμης αὐτόματος ἀποπεσών.
25
Thomson—
BrentonBut if not, who is he that says I speak falsely, and will make my words of no account?
GreekΕἰ δὲ μὴ, τίς ἐστιν ὁ φάμενος ψευδῆ με λέγειν, καὶ θήσει εἰς οὐδὲν τὰ ῥήματά μου;