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 the youngest have laughed me to scorn, now they reprove me in [their] turn, whose fathers I set at nothing; whom I did not deem worthy [to be with] my shepherd dogs.
2 For whereto shoulde the strength of their handes haue serued mee, seeing age perished in them?
Yes, why had I the strength of their hands? for them the full term [of life] was lost.
3 For pouertie and famine they were solitary, fleeing into the wildernes, which is darke, desolate and waste.
[One is] childless in lack and famine, [such as] they that fled but lately the distress and misery of drought.
4 They cut vp nettels by the bushes, and the iuniper rootes was their meate.
Who compass the salt places on the sounding [shore], who had salt [herbs] for their food, and were dishonourable and of no repute, in lack of every good thing; who also ate roots of trees by reason of great hunger.
5 They were chased forth from among men: they shouted at them, as at a theefe.
Thieves have risen up against me,
6 Therfore they dwelt in the clefts of riuers, in the holes of the earth and rockes.
whose houses were the caves of the rocks, who lived under the wild shrubs.
7 They roared among the bushes, and vnder the thistles they gathered themselues.
They will cry out amongst the rustling [bushes].
8 They were the children of fooles and the children of villaines, which were more vile then the earth.
[They are] sons of fools and vile men, [whose] name and glory [are] quenched from off the earth.
9 And now am I their song, and I am their talke.
But now I am their music, and they have me for a byword.
10 They abhorre me, and flee farre from mee, and spare not to spit in my face.
And they stood aloof and abhorred me, and spared not to spit in my face.
11 Because that God hath loosed my corde and humbled mee, they haue loosed the bridle before me.
For he has opened his quiver and afflicted me: they also have cast off the restraint of my presence.
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.
They have risen up against [me] on the right hand of [their] offspring; they have stretched out their foot, and directed against me the ways of their destruction.
13 They haue destroyed my paths: they tooke pleasure at my calamitie, they had none helpe.
My paths are ruined; for they have stripped off my raiment: he has shot at me with his weapons.
14 They came as a great breach of waters, and vnder this calamitie they come on heapes.
And he has pleaded against me as he will: I am overwhelmed with pains.
15 Feare is turned vpon mee: and they pursue my soule as the winde, and mine health passeth away as a cloude.
My pains return upon [me]; my hope is gone like the wind, and my safety as a cloud.
16 Therefore my soule is nowe powred out vpon me, and the dayes of affliction haue taken holde on me.
Even now my life shall be poured forth upon me; and days of anguish seize me.
17 It pearceth my bones in the night, and my sinewes take no rest.
And by night my bones are confounded; and my sinews are relaxed.
18 For the great vehemencie is my garment changed, which compasseth me about as the colar of my coate.
With great force [my disease] has taken hold of my garment: it has compassed me as the collar of my coat.
19 He hath cast me into the myre, and I am become like ashes and dust.
And you have counted me as clay; my portion in dust and ashes.
20 Whe I cry vnto thee, thou doest not heare me, neither regardest me, when I stand vp.
And I have cried to you, but you hear me not: but they stood still, and observed me.
21 Thou turnest thy selfe cruelly against me, and art enemie vnto mee with the strength of thine hand.
They attacked me also without mercy: you have scourged me with a strong hand.
22 Thou takest me vp and causest mee to ride vpon the winde, and makest my strength to faile.
And you have put me to grief, and have cast me away from safety.
23 Surely I knowe that thou wilt bring mee to death, and to the house appoynted for all the liuing.
For I know that death will destroy me: for the earth is the house [appointed] for every mortal.
24 Doubtles none can stretch his hand vnto the graue, though they cry in his destruction.
Oh then that I might lay hands upon myself, or at least ask another, and he should do this for me.
25 Did not I weepe with him that was in trouble? was not my soule in heauinesse for the poore?
Yet I wept over every helpless man; I groaned when I saw a man in distress.
26 Yet when I looked for good, euill came vnto me: and when I waited for light, there came darkenesse.
But I, when I waited for good things, behold, days of evils came the more upon me.
27 My bowels did boyle without rest: for the dayes of affliction are come vpon me.
My belly boiled, and would not cease: the days of poverty prevented me.
28 I went mourning without sunne: I stood vp in the congregation and cryed.
I went mourning without restraint: and I have stood and cried out in the assembly.
29 I am a brother to the dragons, and a companion to the ostriches.
I am become a brother of monsters, and a companion of ostriches.
30 My skinne is blacke vpon me, and my bones are burnt with heate.
And my skin has been greatly blackened, and my bones are burnt with heat.
31 Therefore mine harpe is turned to mourning, and mine organs into the voyce of them that weepe.
My harp also has been turned into mourning, and my song into my weeping.
