24:1 全能者为何不划定自己的期限﹖忠于他的人为何看不到他的日子﹖
Why are not times set by the Almighty, and why do his friends not see his days? 24:2 恶人挪移地界，抢去羊群自去牧放；
The wicked remove landmarks; they steal away herds and pasture them. 24:3 赶走孤儿的驴，拿去寡妇的牛作抵押；
The asses of orphans they drive away; they take the widow’s ox for a pledge. 24:4 迫使穷人离开正路，使境内的贫民隐藏不露。
They force the needy off the road; all the poor of the land are driven into hiding. 24:5 看啊!他们象旷野的野驴，出来寻觅食物；他们纵使到晚操作，却找不到养子女的食物。
Like wild asses in the desert, these go forth to their task of seeking food; The steppe provides food for the young among them; 24:6 夜间遂到田间去收割，到恶人的葡萄园中去摘取。
they harvest at night in the untilled land. 24:7 赤身过宿，无衣蔽体；严寒之时，没有铺盖。
They pass the night naked, without clothing, for they have no covering against the cold; 24:8 在山中为暴雨淋透，因无处避身，只有紧抱着磐石。
They are drenched with the rain of the mountains, and for want of shelter they cling to the rock. 24:9 另有些人将孤儿从母怀中抢去，拿穷人的乳儿作抵押，
The fatherless child is snatched from the breast; the infant of the poor is seized for a debt. 24:10 致使他们无衣赤身行走，枵腹担荷麦捆；
and famished are those who carry the sheaves. 24:11 在石槽中榨油、踩酒，反受口渴之苦。
Between the rows they press out the oil; they glean in the the vineyard of the wicked. They tread the wine presses, yet suffer thirst, 24:12 临死者的呻吟，声闻城外；负伤者呼求救援，天主却不理会他们的哀求。
From the dust the dying groan, and the souls of the wounded cry out (yet God does not treat it as unseemly). 24:13 另有些人反抗光明，不认识光明的道路，更不走光明的途径。
There are those who are rebels against the light; they know not its ways; they abide not in its paths. 24:14 凶手黎明即起，去杀害困苦和贫穷的人，夜间去作盗贼。
When there is no light the murderer rises, to kill the poor and needy. 24:15 奸夫的眼盼望黄昏，他心里说：「没有眼可看见我!」就用面巾将自己的脸遮蔽起来。
The eye of the adulterer watches for the twilight; he says, "No eye will see me." In the night the thief roams about, and he puts a mask over his face; 24:16 窃贼夜间挖穿屋墙，白日将自己关起，不愿看见光明，
in the dark he breaks into houses. By day they shut themselves in; none of them know the light, 24:17 因为早晨对这班人有如死影，他们已熟悉了黑暗的恐怖。
for daylight they regard as darkness. 24:18 他们轻如水萍，随波逐流，地上的家业已被诅咒，榨酒者不再走入他们的葡萄园。
Their portion in the land is accursed, 24:19 亢旱酷暑怎样吸尽雪水，阴府也怎样将罪犯吸去。
As heat and drought snatch away the melted snow, so the grave snatches away those who have sinned. 24:20 怀孕他的要忘掉他，蛆虫要腐蚀他，人不再记念他，邪恶如树一般被人砍倒。
The womb forgets them, the worm feasts on them; evil men are no longer remembered but are broken like a tree. 24:21 他欺压了不生育的石女，没有善待寡妇。
They prey on the barren and childless woman, and to the widow show no kindness. 24:22 然而天主将以威力把持强暴，他必兴起，使他们不能保存生命。
To him who rises without assurance of his life 24:23 虽暂时让他们平安休息，但他的双眼却正监视着他们的行径。
he gives safety and support. He sustains the mighty by his strength, and his eyes are on their ways. 24:24 他居于高位，不久即不见了；他必丧亡，有如咸草；他必被剪去，犹如麦穗。
They are exalted for a while, and then they are gone; they are laid low and, like all others, are gathered up; like ears of grain they shrivel. 24:25 是否如此﹖谁能证明我说谎，谁能以我的话为荒诞﹖
If this be not so, who will confute me, and reduce my argument to nought?