< Job 30 >
1 But now, those younger in years scorn me, whose fathers I would not have seen fit to place with the dogs of my flock,
“But now men who are younger than I am make fun of me— men whose fathers I greatly despised, with the result that I would not even have allowed them to help my dogs guard my sheep.
2 the strength of whose hands was nothing to me, and they were considered unworthy of life itself.
They were men who were old and (weak/worn out); so (what could I gain from them working for me?/I would have gained nothing from them working for me.) [RHQ]
3 They were barren from poverty and hunger; they gnawed in solitude, layered with misfortune and misery.
They were very poor and hungry, with the result that they chewed on roots [at night] in dry and desolate places.
4 And they chewed grass and the bark from trees, and the root of junipers was their food.
They pulled up plants in the desert [and ate them] and warmed themselves by [burning] the roots of broom trees.
5 They took these things from the steep valleys, and when they discovered one of these things, they rushed to the others with a cry.
Everyone shouted at them as though they were thieves and expelled them [from their areas].
6 They lived in the parched desert and in caves underground or above the rocks.
They were forced to live in caves in the hills, in holes in the ground, and in the sides of cliffs.
7 They rejoiced among these kinds of things, and they considered it delightful to be under thorns.
In the bushes they howled [like animals because they were hungry], and they huddled together under thornbushes.
8 These are the sons of foolish and base men, not even paying any attention to the land.
They were people without good sense, whose names no one knows; they have been expelled from the land [where they were born].
9 Now I become their song, and I have been made into their proverb.
“And now their [children] sing songs to make fun of me. They tell jokes about me.
10 They loathe me, and so they flee far from me, and they are not reluctant to spit in my face.
They are disgusted with me, and they [usually] stay away from me, [but when they see me, ] they are happy to spit in my face.
11 For he has opened his quiver and has afflicted me, and he has placed a bridle in my mouth.
Because [it is as though] [MET] God has cut my bowstring, [he has caused me to be unable to defend myself, ] and he has humbled me, and my enemies have done to me whatever they wanted.
12 Immediately, upon rising, my calamities rise up to the right. They have overturned my feet and have pressed me down along their way like waves.
(Gangs/Groups of violent youths) attack me and force me to run away; they prepare to destroy me.
13 They have diverted my journeys; they have waited to ambush me, and they have prevailed, and there was no one who might bring help.
They prevent me from escaping, and they [do] not [need] anyone to help them (OR, there is no one to help me).
14 They have rushed upon me, as when a wall is broken or a gate opened, and they have been pulled down into my miseries.
[It is as though I am a city wall and] [SIM] they have broken through the wall, and they have come crashing down on me.
15 I have been reduced to nothing. You have taken away my desire like a wind, and my health has passed by like a cloud.
I am very terrified; My dignity/honor has been taken away as though [SIM] [it has been] blown away by the wind, and my prosperity has disappeared like [SIM] clouds disappear.
16 But now my soul withers within myself, and the days of affliction take hold of me.
“And now I [SYN] am about to die [IDM]; I suffer every day.
17 At night, my bone is pierced with sorrows, and those who feed on me, do not sleep.
My bones ache during the night, and the pain that torments me never stops.
18 By the sheer number of them my clothing is worn away, and they have closed in on me like the collar of my coat.
[It is as though God] seizes my clothes and chokes me with the collar of my coat.
19 I have been treated like dirt, and I have been turned into embers and ashes.
He has thrown me into the mud; I am [not worth anything more than] dust and ashes.
20 I cry to you, and you do not heed me. I stand up, and you do not look back at me.
“I cry out to God, but he does not answer/help me; I stand up [and pray], but he does not pay any attention.
21 You have changed me into hardness, and, with the hardness of your hand, you oppose me.
He acts very cruelly toward me; with all of his power [MTY] he causes me to suffer.
22 You have lifted me up, and, placing me as if on the wind, you have thrown me down powerfully.
He [allows] the wind to lift me up and blow me away, and he tosses me up and down in a violent storm.
23 I know that you will hand me over to death, where a home has been established for all the living.
I know that he will cause me to die, which is what happens to everyone [MTY] who is alive.
24 Truly, then, you do not extend your hand in order to consume them, and if they fall down, you will save them.
“When people experience disasters, and they sit on a pile of ruins and cry out for help, others surely [RHQ] reach out their hand to help them.
25 Once, I wept over him who was afflicted, and my soul had compassion on the poor.
[That is what I did previously]. I wept for people who were experiencing troubles, and I felt sorry for poor/needy people.
26 I expected good things, but evil things have come to me. I stood ready for light, yet darkness burst forth.
But when I expected good things [to happen to me], evil things happened; when I waited for light/happiness, all I experienced was darkness/unhappiness [MET].
27 My insides have seethed, without any rest, for the days of affliction have prevented it.
I am very distressed [IDM], all the time; I suffer every day.
28 I went forth mourning, without anger, and rising up, I cried out in confusion.
I go about very discouraged; I stand up and plead for people to help me.
29 I was the brother of snakes, and the companion of ostriches.
My wailing sounds as sad as [MET] the cries of jackals/foxes and ostriches.
30 My skin has become blackened over me, and my bones have dried up because of the heat.
My skin has become dark/black and is peeling off, and I have a fever [which causes my body to feel like it is] burning.
31 My harp has been turned into mourning, and my pipes have been turned into a voice of weeping.
Previously, I played joyful music on my harp and with my flute, but now I play only the sad music of those who mourn.”