Study Desk

They are soaked with rain in the mountains. They stay close to the large rocks for shelter. They have no clothes, so they work naked. They carry piles of grain for others, but they go hungry. They press out olive oil and walk on grapes in the winepress, but they have nothing to drink. In the city you can hear the sad sounds of dying people. Those who are hurt cry out for help, but God does not listen. "Some people rebel against the light. They don't know what God wants. They don't live the way he wants. A murderer gets up at dawn and kills poor, helpless people. And at night he becomes a thief. A man who commits adultery waits for the night to come. He thinks, ‘No one will see me,' but still, he covers his face. When it is dark, evil people go out and break into houses. But during the day they lock themselves in their homes to avoid the light. The darkest night is their morning. They are friends with the terrors of darkness. " You say, ‘Evil people are taken away like things carried away in a flood. The land they own is cursed, so no one goes to work in their vineyards. As hot, dry weather melts away the winter snows, so the grave takes away those who have sinned. Their own mothers will forget them. Only the worms will want them. No one will remember them. They will be broken like a rotten stick! These evil people hurt women who have no children to protect them, and they refuse to help widows. By his power God removes the powerful. Even if they have a high position, they cannot be sure of their lives. They might feel safe and secure, but God is watching how they live. They might be successful for a while, but then they will be gone. Like everyone else, they will be cut down like grain.' "I swear these things are true! Who can prove that I lied? Who can show that I am wrong?"

They take a nursing baby from its mother. They take a poor person's child to guarantee a loan. They force the poor to move out of their way and to get off the road. "The poor are like wild donkeys that go out to the desert to find food. From morning to night they work to gather food for their children. They have to work in the fields, harvesting grain. They work for the rich, gathering grapes in their vineyards. They must sleep all night without clothes. They have no covers to protect them from the cold. They are soaked with rain in the mountains. They stay close to the large rocks for shelter.

They have no clothes, so they work naked. They carry piles of grain for others, but they go hungry.

In the city you can hear the sad sounds of dying people. Those who are hurt cry out for help, but God does not listen.

A man who commits adultery waits for the night to come. He thinks, ‘No one will see me,' but still, he covers his face.

They might be successful for a while, but then they will be gone. Like everyone else, they will be cut down like grain.'

When they have troubles and cry out for help, God will not listen to them!

It will be too late for them to enjoy talking with God All-Powerful. They should have prayed to God all the time.

"Here is what God has planned for those who are evil. This is what cruel people will get from God All-Powerful.

All those who are left will die, and the widows will not even cry for them.

Miners carry lights deep into caves to search for these rocks in the deepest darkness.

You cannot buy wisdom with even the purest gold. There's not enough silver in the world to pay for it.

"I wish my life could be the same as it was a few months ago, when God watched over me and cared for me.

I wish for the days when I was successful, when I enjoyed God's friendship and blessing in my home.

because I helped the poor when they cried out. I helped the orphans who had no one to care for them.

I was like eyes for the blind, like feet for the crippled.

"In the past people listened to me. They waited quietly for my advice.

They waited for my words as they would for rain. They drank them in like rain in the springtime.

"God, I cry out to you for help, but you don't answer. I stand up and pray, but you don't pay attention to me.

"Surely no one would attack a man who is already ruined, when he is hurt and crying for help.