Job 30
1 Bvt now they that are yonger then I, mocke me: yea, they whose fathers I haue refused to set with the dogges of my flockes.
But now those who are younger than I make sport of me; those whose fathers I would not have put with the dogs of my flocks.
2 For whereto shoulde the strength of their handes haue serued mee, seeing age perished in them?
Of what use is the strength of their hands to me? all force is gone from them.
3 For pouertie and famine they were solitary, fleeing into the wildernes, which is darke, desolate and waste.
They are wasted for need of food, biting the dry earth; their only hope of life is in the waste land.
4 They cut vp nettels by the bushes, and the iuniper rootes was their meate.
They are pulling off the salt leaves from the brushwood, and making a meal of roots.
5 They were chased forth from among men: they shouted at them, as at a theefe.
They are sent out from among their townsmen, men are crying after them as thieves
6 Therfore they dwelt in the clefts of riuers, in the holes of the earth and rockes.
They have to get a resting-place in the hollows of the valleys, in holes of the earth and rocks.
7 They roared among the bushes, and vnder the thistles they gathered themselues.
They make noises like asses among the brushwood; they get together under the thorns.
8 They were the children of fooles and the children of villaines, which were more vile then the earth.
They are sons of shame, and of men without a name, who have been forced out of the land.
9 And now am I their song, and I am their talke.
And now I have become their song, and I am a word of shame to them.
10 They abhorre me, and flee farre from mee, and spare not to spit in my face.
I am disgusting to them; they keep away from me, and put marks of shame on me.
11 Because that God hath loosed my corde and humbled mee, they haue loosed the bridle before me.
For he has made loose the cord of my bow, and put me to shame; he has sent down my flag to the earth before me.
12 The youth rise vp at my right hand: they haue pusht my feete, and haue trode on me as on the paths of their destruction.
The lines of his men of war put themselves in order, and make high their ways of destruction against me:
13 They haue destroyed my paths: they tooke pleasure at my calamitie, they had none helpe.
They have made waste my roads, with a view to my destruction; his bowmen come round about me;
14 They came as a great breach of waters, and vnder this calamitie they come on heapes.
As through a wide broken place in the wall they come on, I am overturned by the shock of their attack.
15 Feare is turned vpon mee: and they pursue my soule as the winde, and mine health passeth away as a cloude.
Fears have come on me; my hope is gone like the wind, and my well-being like a cloud.
16 Therefore my soule is nowe powred out vpon me, and the dayes of affliction haue taken holde on me.
But now my soul is turned to water in me, days of trouble overtake me:
17 It pearceth my bones in the night, and my sinewes take no rest.
The flesh is gone from my bones, and they give me no rest; there is no end to my pains.
18 For the great vehemencie is my garment changed, which compasseth me about as the colar of my coate.
With great force he takes a grip of my clothing, pulling me by the neck of my coat.
19 He hath cast me into the myre, and I am become like ashes and dust.
Truly God has made me low, even to the earth, and I have become like dust.
20 Whe I cry vnto thee, thou doest not heare me, neither regardest me, when I stand vp.
You give no answer to my cry, and take no note of my prayer.
21 Thou turnest thy selfe cruelly against me, and art enemie vnto mee with the strength of thine hand.
You have become cruel to me; the strength of your hand is hard on me.
22 Thou takest me vp and causest mee to ride vpon the winde, and makest my strength to faile.
Lifting me up, you make me go on the wings of the wind; I am broken up by the storm.
23 Surely I knowe that thou wilt bring mee to death, and to the house appoynted for all the liuing.
For I am certain that you will send me back to death, and to the meeting-place ordered for all living.
24 Doubtles none can stretch his hand vnto the graue, though they cry in his destruction.
Has not my hand been stretched out in help to the poor? have I not been a saviour to him in his trouble?
25 Did not I weepe with him that was in trouble? was not my soule in heauinesse for the poore?
Have I not been weeping for the crushed? and was not my soul sad for him who was in need?
26 Yet when I looked for good, euill came vnto me: and when I waited for light, there came darkenesse.
For I was looking for good, and evil came; I was waiting for light, and it became dark.
27 My bowels did boyle without rest: for the dayes of affliction are come vpon me.
My feelings are strongly moved, and give me no rest; days of trouble have overtaken me.
28 I went mourning without sunne: I stood vp in the congregation and cryed.
I go about in dark clothing, uncomforted; I get up in the public place, crying out for help.
29 I am a brother to the dragons, and a companion to the ostriches.
I have become a brother to the jackals, and go about in the company of ostriches.
30 My skinne is blacke vpon me, and my bones are burnt with heate.
My skin is black and dropping off me; and my bones are burning with the heat of my disease.
31 Therefore mine harpe is turned to mourning, and mine organs into the voyce of them that weepe.
And my music has been turned to sorrow, and the sound of my pipe into the noise of weeping.
