أيُّوب 30

١ 1 أَمَّا الآنَ فَقَدْ هَزَأَ بِي مَنْ هُمْ أَصْغَرُ مِنِّي سِنّاً، مَنْ كُنْتُ آنَفُ أَنْ أَجْعَلَ آبَاءَهُمْ مَعَ كِلابِ غَنَمِي.

But, now, they who are of fewer days than I, have poured derision upon me; whose fathers I refused—to set with the dogs of my flock.

٢ 2 إِذْ مَا جَدْوَى قُوَّةِ أَيْدِيهِمْ لِي بَعْدَ أَنْ أُصِيبَتْ بِعَجْزٍ؟

Even the strength of their hands, wherefore was it mine? Upon them, vigour was lost;

٣ 3 يَهِيمُونَ هُزَالَى جِيَاعاً، يَنْبِشُونَ الْيَابِسَةَ الْخَرِبَةَ الْمَهْجُورَةَ.

In want and hunger, they were lean, —who used to gnaw the dry ground, a dark night of desolation!

٤ 4 يَلْتَقِطُونَ الْخُبَّيْزَةَ بَيْنَ الْعُلَّيْقِ، وَخُبْزُهُمْ عُرُوقُ الرَّتَمِ.

Who used to pluck off the mallow by the bushes, with the root of the broom for their food;

٥ 5 يُطْرَدُونَ مِنْ بَيْنِ النَّاسِ، وَيَصْرُخُونَ خَلْفَهُمْ كَمَا يَصْرُخُونَ عَلَى لِصٍّ.

Out of the midst, were they driven, men shouted after them, as after a thief;

٦ 6 يُقِيمُونَ فِي كُهُوفِ الْوِدْيَانِ الْجَافَّةِ، بَيْنَ الصُّخُورِ وَفِي ثُقُوبِ الأَرْضِ.

In the fissures, of the ravines had they to dwell, in holes of dust and crags;

٧ 7 يَنْهَقُونَ بَيْنَ الْعُلَّيْقِ، وَيرْبِضُونَ تَحْتَ الْعَوْسَجِ.

Among the bushes, used they to shriek, Under the bramble, were they huddled together:

٨ 8 هُمْ حَمْقَى، أَبْنَاءُ قَوْمٍ خَامِلِينَ مَنْبُوذِينَ مِنَ الأَرْضِ.

Sons of the base, yea sons of the nameless, they were scourged out of the land.

٩ 9 أَمَّا الآنَ فَقَدْ أَصْبَحْتُ مَثَارَ سُخْرِيَةٍ لَهُمْ وَمَثَلاً يَتَنَدَّرُونَ بِهِ

But, now, their song, have I become, Yea I serve them for a byword;

١٠ 10 يَشْمَئِزُّونَ مِنِّي وَيَتَجَافَوْنَنِي، لَا يَتَوَانَوْنَ عَنِ الْبَصْقِ فِي وَجْهِي!

They abhor me—have put themselves far from me, and, from my face, have not withheld—spittle!

١١ 11 لأَنَّ اللهَ قَدْ أَرْخَى وَتَرَ قَوْسِي وَأَذَلَّنِي، انْقَلَبُوا ضِدِّي بِكُلِّ قُوَّتِهِمْ.

Because, my girdle, he had loosened and had humbled me, therefore, the bridle—in my presence, cast they off;

١٢ 12 قَامَ صِغَارُهُمْ عَنْ يَمِينِي يُزِلُّونَ قَدَمِي وَيُمَهِّدُونَ سُبُلَ دَمَارِي.

On my right hand, the young brood rose up, —My feet, they thrust aside, and cast up against me their earthworks of destruction;

١٣ 13 سَدُّوا عَلَيَّ مَنْفَذَ مَهْرَبِي، وَتَضَافَرُوا عَلَى هَلاكِي، مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَكُونَ لِي مُعِينٌ.

They brake up my path, —My engulfing ruin, they helped forward, unaided;

١٤ 14 وَكَأَنَّمَا مِنْ ثُغْرَةٍ وَاسِعَةٍ تَدَافَعُوا نَحْوِي، وَانْدَفَعُوا هَاجِمِينَ بَيْنَ الرَّدْمِ.

As through a wide breach, came they on, with a crashing noise, they rolled themselves along.

١٥ 15 طَغَتْ عَلَيَّ الأَهْوَالُ، فَتَطَايَرَتْ كَرَامَتِي كَوَرَقَةٍ أَمَامَ الرِّيحِ، وَمَضَى رَغْدِي كَالسَّحَابِ.

There are turned upon me terrors, —Chased away as with a wind, is mine abundance, and, as a cloud, hath passed away my prosperity.

١٦ 16 وَالآنَ تَهَافَتَتْ نَفْسِي عَلَيَّ وَتَنَاهَبَتْنِي أَيَّامُ بُؤْسِي.

Now, therefore, over myself, my soul poureth itself out, There seize me days of affliction:

١٧ 17 يَنْخَرُ اللَّيْلُ عِظَامِي، وَآلامِي الضَّارِيَةُ لَا تَهْجَعُ.

Night, boreth, my bones, all over me, —and, my sinews, find no rest;

١٨ 18 تَشُدُّ بِعُنْفٍ لِبَاسِي وَتَحْزِمُنِي مِثْلَ طَوْقِ عَبَاءَتِي.

Most effectually, is my skin disfigured, —Like the collar of my tunic, it girdeth me about:

١٩ 19 قَدْ طَرَحَنِي اللهُ فِي الْحَمْأَةِ فَأَشْبَهْتُ التُّرَابَ وَالرَّمَادَ.

He hath cast me into the mire, and I have become like dust and ashes.

٢٠ 20 أَسْتَغِيثُ بِكَ فَلا تَسْتَجِيبُ، وَأَقِفُ أَمَامَكَ فَلا تَأْبَهُ بِي.

I cry out for help unto thee, and thou dost not answer, I stand still, and thou dost gaze at me;

٢١ 21 أَصْبَحْتَ لِي عَدُوّاً قَاسِياً، وَبِقُدْرَةِ ذِرَاعِكَ تَضْطَهِدُنِي.

Thou art turned to become a cruel one unto me, With the might of thy hand, thou assailest me;

٢٢ 22 خَطَفْتَنِي وَأَرْكَبْتَنِي عَلَى الرِّيحِ، تُذِيبُنِي فِي زَئِيرِ الْعَاصِفَةِ.

Thou liftest up me to the wind, thou carriest me away, and the storm maketh me faint;

٢٣ 23 فَأَيْقَنْتُ أَنَّكَ تَسُوقُنِي إِلَى الْمَوْتِ، وَإِلَى دَارِ مِيعَادِ كُلِّ حَيٍّ.

For I know that, unto death, thou wilt bring me back, even unto the house of meeting for every one living.

٢٤ 24 وَلَكِنْ، أَلا يَمُدُّ إِنْسَانٌ يَدَهُ مِنْ تَحْتِ الأَنْقَاضِ؟ أَوَ لَا يَسْتَغِيثُ فِي بَلِيَّتِهِ؟

Only, against a heap of ruins, will one not thrust a hand! Surely, when one is in calamity—for that very reason, is there an outcry for help.

٢٥ 25 أَلَمْ أَبْكِ لِمَنْ قَسَى عَلَيْهِ يَوْمُهُ؟ أَلَمْ تَحْزَنْ نَفْسِي لِلْمِسْكِينِ؟

Verily I wept, for him whose lot was hard, Grieved was my soul, for the needy.

٢٦ 26 وَلَكِنْ حِينَ تَرَقَّبْتُ الْخَيْرَ أَقْبَلَ الشَّرُّ، وَحِينَ تَوَقَّعْتُ النُّورَ هَجَمَ الظَّلامُ.

Surely, for good, I looked, but there came in evil, And I waited for light, but there came in darkness;

٢٧ 27 قَلْبِي يَغْلِي وَلَنْ يَهْدَأَ، وَأَيَّامُ الْبَلِيَّةِ غَشِيَتْنِي.

I boiled within me, and rested not, There confronted me—days of affliction;

٢٨ 28 فَأَمْضِي نَائِحاً لَكِنْ مِنْ غَيْرِ عَزَاءٍ. أَقِفُ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ أَطْلُبُ الْعَوْنَ.

In gloom, I walked along, without sun, I arose—in the convocation, I cried out for help;

٢٩ 29 صِرْتُ أَخاً لِبَنَاتِ آوَى، وَرَفِيقاً لِلنَّعَامِ.

A brother, became I to the brutes that howl, and a companion to the birds that screech:

٣٠ 30 اسْوَدَّ جِلْدِي عَلَيَّ وَتَقَشَّرَ، وَاحْتَرَقَتْ عِظَامِي مِنَ الْحُمَّى

My skin, turned black, and peeled off me, and, my bones, burned with heat:

٣١ 31 صَارَتْ قِيثَارَتِي لِلنَّوْحِ، وَمِزْمَارِي لِصَوْتِ النَّادِبِينَ.

Thus is attuned to mourning—my lyre, and my flute, to the noise of them who weep.