Bible in Basic English
He who is purposing death gets up before day, so that he may put to death the poor and those in need.
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;
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.
For the middle of the night is as morning to them, they are not troubled by the fear of the dark.
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.
Snow waters become dry with the heat: so do sinners go down into the underworld.
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.
He is not kind to the widow, and he has no pity for her child.
But God by his power gives long life to the strong; he gets up again, though he has no hope of life.
He takes away his fear of danger and gives him support; and his eyes are on his ways.
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.
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?
— Job 24:14-1964, Bible in Basic English
“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. And if it be not so now, who will make me a liar, and make my speech nothing worth? ”
Between the lines of olive-trees they make oil; though they have no drink, they are crushing out the grapes.
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.
Then there are those who are haters of the light, who have no knowledge of its ways, and do not go in them.
He who is purposing death gets up before day, so that he may put to death the poor and those in need.
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;
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.
For the middle of the night is as morning to them, they are not troubled by the fear of the dark.
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.
Snow waters become dry with the heat: so do sinners go down into the underworld.
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.
He is not kind to the widow, and he has no pity for her child.
But God by his power gives long life to the strong; he gets up again, though he has no hope of life.
He takes away his fear of danger and gives him support; and his eyes are on his ways.
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.
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?