< Job 30 >
1 But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I disdained to set 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 Yea, the strength of their hands, whereto should it profit me? men in whom ripe age is perished.
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 are gaunt with want and famine; they gnaw the dry ground, in the gloom of wasteness and desolation.
They were very poor and hungry, with the result that they chewed on roots [at night] in dry and desolate places.
4 They pluck salt-wort with wormwood; and the roots of the broom are their food.
They pulled up plants in the desert [and ate them] and warmed themselves by [burning] the roots of broom trees.
5 They are driven forth from the midst of men; they cry after them as after a thief.
Everyone shouted at them as though they were thieves and expelled them [from their areas].
6 In the clefts of the valleys must they dwell, in holes of the earth and of the rocks.
They were forced to live in caves in the hills, in holes in the ground, and in the sides of cliffs.
7 Among the bushes they bray; under the nettles they are gathered together.
In the bushes they howled [like animals because they were hungry], and they huddled together under thornbushes.
8 They are children of churls, yea, children of ignoble men; they were scourged out of 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 And now I am become their song, yea, I am a byword unto them.
“And now their [children] sing songs to make fun of me. They tell jokes about me.
10 They abhor me, they flee far from me, and spare not 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 hath loosed my cord, and afflicted me, and they have cast off the bridle before me.
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 Upon my right hand rise the brood; they entangle my feet, and they cast up against me their ways of destruction.
(Gangs/Groups of violent youths) attack me and force me to run away; they prepare to destroy me.
13 They break up my path, they further my calamity, even men that have no helper.
They prevent me from escaping, and they [do] not [need] anyone to help them (OR, there is no one to help me).
14 As through a wide breach they come; in the midst of the ruin they roll themselves upon me.
[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 Terrors are turned upon me, they chase mine honour as the wind; and my welfare is passed away as 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 And now my soul is poured out within me; days of affliction have taken hold upon me.
“And now I [SYN] am about to die [IDM]; I suffer every day.
17 In the night my bones are pierced, and fall from me, and my sinews take no rest.
My bones ache during the night, and the pain that torments me never stops.
18 By the great force of my disease is my garment disfigured; it bindeth me about as the collar of my coat.
[It is as though God] seizes my clothes and chokes me with the collar of my coat.
19 He hath cast me into the mire, and I am become like dust and ashes.
He has thrown me into the mud; I am [not worth anything more than] dust and ashes.
20 I cry unto Thee, and Thou dost not answer me; I stand up, and Thou lookest 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 Thou art turned to be cruel to me; with the might of Thy hand Thou hatest me.
He acts very cruelly toward me; with all of his power [MTY] he causes me to suffer.
22 Thou liftest me up to the wind, Thou causest me to ride upon it; and Thou dissolvest my substance.
He [allows] the wind to lift me up and blow me away, and he tosses me up and down in a violent storm.
23 For I know that Thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living.
I know that he will cause me to die, which is what happens to everyone [MTY] who is alive.
24 Surely none shall put forth his hand to a ruinous heap, neither because of these things shall help come in one's calamity,
“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 If I have not wept for him that was in trouble, and if my soul grieved not for the needy.
[That is what I did previously]. I wept for people who were experiencing troubles, and I felt sorry for poor/needy people.
26 Yet, when I looked for good, there came evil; and when I waited for light, there came darkness.
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 Mine inwards boil, and rest not; days of affliction are come upon me.
I am very distressed [IDM], all the time; I suffer every day.
28 I go mourning without the sun; I stand up in the assembly, and cry for help.
I go about very discouraged; I stand up and plead for people to help me.
29 I am become a brother to jackals, and a companion to ostriches.
My wailing sounds as sad as [MET] the cries of jackals/foxes and ostriches.
30 My skin is black, and falleth from me, and my bones are burned with 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 Therefore is my harp turned to mourning, and my pipe into the voice of them that weep.
Previously, I played joyful music on my harp and with my flute, but now I play only the sad music of those who mourn.”