They are exalted for a little while, and then they are gone, ¹  they are brought low ²  like all others, and gathered in, ³  and like a head of grain they are cut off.’ ⁴ 

biblegateway Job 24:24

"They are exalted a little while, then they are gone; Moreover, they are brought low and like everything gathered up; Even like the heads of grain they are cut off.

They are exalted for a moment, then they are gone; they are brought low and shrivel up like everything else. They wither like heads of grain.

Such people may be prosperous for a little while, but then they’re gone. They are brought down low and disappear like everything else. They wither like heads of grain.

biblegateway Job 24:24

For a little while they are exalted, and then they are gone; they are brought low and gathered up like all others; they are cut off like ears of corn.

They are exalted a little while, and then are gone; they are brought low and gathered up like all others; they are cut off like the heads of grain.

bibleoremus Job 24:24

They are exalted a little while, and then are gone; they wither and fade like the mallow; they are cut off like the heads of grain.

For a moment they rise to the heights, but they are soon gone. Laid low they wilt like a mallow-flower; they droop like an ear of grain on the stalk.

biblegateway Job 24:24

They are exalted for a little while, Then they are gone. They are brought low; They are taken out of the way like all others ; They dry out like the heads of grain.

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.

biblegateway Job 24:24

They are exalted for a little while, and then they are gone, ¹  they are brought low ²  like all others, and gathered in, ³  and like a head of grain they are cut off.’ ⁴ 

¹ tn The Hebrew throughout this section (vv. 18-24) interchanges the singular and the plural. Here again we have “they are exalted…but he is not.” The verse is clear nonetheless: the wicked rise high, and then suddenly they are gone.

² tn The verb is the Hophal of the rare verb מָכַךְ (makhakh), which seems to mean “to bend; to collapse.” The text would read “they are made to collapse like all others.” There is no reason here to change “like others” just because the MT is banal. But many do, following the LXX with “like mallows.” The LXX was making a translation according to sense. R. Gordis (Job, 271) prefers “like grass.”

³ tn The verb קָפַץ (qafats) actually means “to shut in,” which does not provide exactly the idea of being gathered, not directly at least. But a change to קָטַף (qataf, “pluck”) while attractive, is not necessary.

⁴ sn This marks the end of the disputed section, taken here to be a quotation by Job of their sentiments.