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.
Now those who are younger than I have nothing but mockery for me— these young men whose fathers I would have refused to allow to work beside the dogs of my flock.
2 Yea, the strength of their hands, whereto should it profit me? men in whom ripe age is perished.
Indeed, the strength of their fathers' hands, how could it have helped me— men in whom the strength of their mature age had perished?
3 They are gaunt with want and famine; they gnaw the dry ground, in the gloom of wasteness and desolation.
They were thin from poverty and hunger; they gnawed at the dry ground in the darkness of wilderness and desolation.
4 They pluck salt-wort with wormwood; and the roots of the broom are their food.
They plucked saltwort and bushes' leaves; the roots of the broom tree were their food.
5 They are driven forth from the midst of men; they cry after them as after a thief.
They were driven out from among people who shouted after them as one would shout after a thief.
6 In the clefts of the valleys must they dwell, in holes of the earth and of the rocks.
So they had to live in river valleys, in holes of the earth and of the rocks.
7 Among the bushes they bray; under the nettles they are gathered together.
Among the bushes they brayed like donkeys and they gathered together under the nettles.
8 They are children of churls, yea, children of ignoble men; they were scourged out of the land.
They were the sons of fools, indeed, sons of nameless people! They were driven out of the land with whips.
9 And now I am become their song, yea, I am a byword unto them.
But now I have become the subject of their taunting song; I have become a byword for them.
10 They abhor me, they flee far from me, and spare not to spit in my face.
They abhor me and stand far off from me; they do not refrain from spitting in my face.
11 For He hath loosed my cord, and afflicted me, and they have cast off the bridle before me.
For God has unstrung the string to my bow and afflicted me, and those who taunt me cast off restraint before my face.
12 Upon my right hand rise the brood; they entangle my feet, and they cast up against me their ways of destruction.
Upon my right hand rise the rabble; they drive me away and pile up against me their siege mounds.
13 They break up my path, they further my calamity, even men that have no helper.
They destroy my path; they push forward disaster for me, men who have no one to hold them back.
14 As through a wide breach they come; in the midst of the ruin they roll themselves upon me.
They come against me like an army through a wide hole in a city wall; in the midst of the destruction they roll themselves in on me.
15 Terrors are turned upon me, they chase mine honour as the wind; and my welfare is passed away as a cloud.
Terrors are turned upon me; my honor is driven away as if by the wind; my prosperity passes away as a cloud.
16 And now my soul is poured out within me; days of affliction have taken hold upon me.
Now my life is pouring out from within me; many days of suffering have laid hold on me.
17 In the night my bones are pierced, and fall from me, and my sinews take no rest.
In the night my bones in me are pierced; the pains that gnaw at me take no rest.
18 By the great force of my disease is my garment disfigured; it bindeth me about as the collar of my coat.
God's great force has seized my clothing; it wraps around me like the collar of my tunic.
19 He hath cast me into the mire, and I am become like dust and ashes.
He has thrown me into the mud; I have become like dust and ashes.
20 I cry unto Thee, and Thou dost not answer me; I stand up, and Thou lookest at me.
I cry to you, God, but you do not answer me; I stand up, and you merely look at me.
21 Thou art turned to be cruel to me; with the might of Thy hand Thou hatest me.
You have changed and become cruel to me; with the strength of your hand you persecute me.
22 Thou liftest me up to the wind, Thou causest me to ride upon it; and Thou dissolvest my substance.
You lift me up to the wind and cause it to drive me along; you throw me back and forth in a storm.
23 For I know that Thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living.
For I know that you will bring me to death, to the house appointed for all the living.
24 Surely none shall put forth his hand to a ruinous heap, neither because of these things shall help come in one's calamity,
However, does no one reach out with his hand to beg for help when he falls? Does no one in trouble call out for help?
25 If I have not wept for him that was in trouble, and if my soul grieved not for the needy.
Did not I weep for him who was in trouble? Did I not grieve for the needy man?
26 Yet, when I looked for good, there came evil; and when I waited for light, there came darkness.
When I hoped for good, then evil came; when I waited for light, darkness came instead.
27 Mine inwards boil, and rest not; days of affliction are come upon me.
My heart is troubled and does not rest; days of affliction have come on me.
28 I go mourning without the sun; I stand up in the assembly, and cry for help.
I have gone about like one who was living in the dark, but not because of the sun; I stand up in the assembly and cry for help.
29 I am become a brother to jackals, and a companion to ostriches.
I am a brother to jackals, a companion of ostriches.
30 My skin is black, and falleth from me, and my bones are burned with heat.
My skin is black and falls away from me; my bones are burned with heat.
31 Therefore is my harp turned to mourning, and my pipe into the voice of them that weep.
Therefore my harp is tuned for songs of mourning, my flute for the singing of those who wail.
