Job 30
1 But now those who are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I disdained to set with the dogs of my flock.
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.
2 Yea, the strength of their hands, to what should it profit me? Men in whom ripe age is perished.
Even the strength of their hands, wherefore was it mine? Upon them, vigour was lost;
3 They are gaunt with want and famine. They gnaw the dry ground in the gloom of waste and desolation.
In want and hunger, they were lean, —who used to gnaw the dry ground, a dark night of desolation!
4 They pluck mallows by the bushes, and the roots of the juniper are their food.
Who used to pluck off the mallow by the bushes, with the root of the broom for their food;
5 They are driven forth from the midst of men. They cry out after them as after a thief,
Out of the midst, were they driven, men shouted after them, as after a thief;
6 so that they dwell in frightful valleys, in holes of the earth and of the rocks.
In the fissures, of the ravines had they to dwell, in holes of dust and crags;
7 Among the bushes they bray, under the nettles they are gathered together.
Among the bushes, used they to shriek, Under the bramble, were they huddled together:
8 They are sons of fools, yea, sons of base men. They were scourged out of the land.
Sons of the base, yea sons of the nameless, they were scourged out of the land.
9 And now I have become their song, Yea, I am a byword to them.
But, now, their song, have I become, Yea I serve them for a byword;
10 They abhor me. They stand aloof from me, and do not spare to spit in my face.
They abhor me—have put themselves far from me, and, from my face, have not withheld—spittle!
11 For he has loosed his cord, and afflicted me. And they have cast off the bridle before me.
Because, my girdle, he had loosened and had humbled me, therefore, the bridle—in my presence, cast they off;
12 Upon my right hand rise the rabble. They thrust aside my feet, and they cast up against me their ways of destruction.
On my right hand, the young brood rose up, —My feet, they thrust aside, and cast up against me their earthworks of destruction;
13 They mar my path. They set forward my calamity, even men who have no helper.
They brake up my path, —My engulfing ruin, they helped forward, unaided;
14 As through a wide breach they come. In the midst of the ruin they roll themselves upon me.
As through a wide breach, came they on, with a crashing noise, they rolled themselves along.
15 Terrors are turned upon me. They chase my honor as the wind, and my welfare is passed away as a cloud.
There are turned upon me terrors, —Chased away as with a wind, is mine abundance, and, as a cloud, hath passed away my prosperity.
16 And now my soul is poured out within me. Days of affliction have taken hold upon me.
Now, therefore, over myself, my soul poureth itself out, There seize me days of affliction:
17 In the night season my bones are pierced in me, and the pains that gnaw me take no rest.
Night, boreth, my bones, all over me, —and, my sinews, find no rest;
18 By the great force my garment is disfigured. It binds me about as the collar of my coat.
Most effectually, is my skin disfigured, —Like the collar of my tunic, it girdeth me about:
19 He has cast me into the mire, and I have become like dust and ashes.
He hath cast me into the mire, and I have become like dust and ashes.
20 I cry to thee, and thou do not answer me. I stand up, and thou gaze at me.
I cry out for help unto thee, and thou dost not answer, I stand still, and thou dost gaze at me;
21 Thou have turned to be cruel to me. With the might of thy hand thou persecute me.
Thou art turned to become a cruel one unto me, With the might of thy hand, thou assailest me;
22 Thou lift me up to the wind. Thou cause me to ride upon it, and thou disintegrate me in the storm.
Thou liftest up me to the wind, thou carriest me away, and the storm maketh me faint;
23 For I know that thou will bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living.
For I know that, unto death, thou wilt bring me back, even unto the house of meeting for every one living.
24 However does not a man stretch out the hand in his fall? Or in his calamity therefore cry for help?
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.
25 Did I not weep for him who was in trouble? Was not my soul grieved for the needy?
Verily I wept, for him whose lot was hard, Grieved was my soul, for the needy.
26 When I looked for good, then evil came. And when I waited for light, there came darkness.
Surely, for good, I looked, but there came in evil, And I waited for light, but there came in darkness;
27 My heart is troubled, and does not rest. Days of affliction have come upon me.
I boiled within me, and rested not, There confronted me—days of affliction;
28 I go mourning without the sun. I stand up in the assembly, and cry for help.
In gloom, I walked along, without sun, I arose—in the convocation, I cried out for help;
29 I am a brother to jackals, and a companion to ostriches.
A brother, became I to the brutes that howl, and a companion to the birds that screech:
30 My skin is black, and falls from me. And my bones are burned with heat.
My skin, turned black, and peeled off me, and, my bones, burned with heat:
31 Therefore my harp has turned to mourning, and my pipe into the voice of those who weep.
Thus is attuned to mourning—my lyre, and my flute, to the noise of them who weep.
