Job 30
1 But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock.
But now they who are younger than I in years laugh at me, whose fathers I scorned to put as equals with the dogs of my flocks.
2 Yea, whereto might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom old age was perished?
Yea, what possible use can the strength of their hands be unto me, over whom old age hath passed fruitlessly?
3 For want and famine they were solitary; fleeing into the wilderness in former time desolate and waste.
Who suffer for want and famine in solitude; who flee into the wilderness [where all is] darkness, ruin, and desolation;
4 Who cut up mallows by the bushes, and juniper roots for their meat.
Who crop off mallows by the bushes, and have broom-bush roots as their bread;
5 They were driven forth from among men, ( they cried after them as after a thief; )
Who are driven forth from among [men], who are shouted after as though they were thieves,
6 To dwell in the clifts of the valleys, in caves of the earth, and in the rocks.
To dwell in the caverns of the valleys, in holes of the earth, and on naked cliffs.
7 Among the bushes they brayed; under the nettles they were gathered together.
Among the bushes they shriek; under briers they are huddled together,
8 They were children of fools, yea, children of base men: they were viler than the earth.
The children of the worthless, yea, the children of the nameless, who were outcasts from the land.
9 And now am I their song, yea, I am their byword.
But now I am become their song, and I am become a byword unto them.
10 They abhor me, they flee far from me, and spare not to spit in my face.
They loathe me, they keep themselves far from me, and from my face they withhold not their spittle.
11 Because he hath loosed my cord, and afflicted me, they have also let loose the bridle before me.
Because he hath loosened the cord of my bow, and afflicted me, they have also cast off the bridle before me.
12 Upon my right hand rise the youth; they push away my feet, and they raise up against me the ways of their destruction.
Against my right hand rise up this swarm of worthless youths: they push away my feet, and they level against me their calamity-bringing paths.
13 They mar my path, they set forward my calamity, they have no helper.
They destroy my footpath, they help forward my downfall, without any one to aid them.
14 They came upon me as a wide breaking in of waters: in the desolation they rolled themselves upon me.
As [through] a broad breach they come: amidst a loud noise they rolled themselves along.
15 Terrors are turned upon me: they pursue my soul as the wind: and my welfare passeth away as a cloud.
Terrors have turned their face against me; they chase like the wind my glory: and like a cloud is my happiness passed away.
16 And now my soul is poured out upon me; the days of affliction have taken hold upon me.
And now my soul is poured out over me; the days of affliction have seized on me;
17 My bones are pierced in me in the night season: and my sinews take no rest.
All night it holloweth out my bones out of my body; and my pursuers take no rest.
18 By the great force of my disease is my garment changed: it bindeth me about as the collar of my coat.
Through the Almlghty's power is my garment made unknown: like the opening of my coat hath he enclosed me.
19 He hath cast me into the mire, and I am become like dust and ashes.
He hath cast me into the mire, and I am become like dust and ashes.
20 I cry unto thee, and thou dost not hear me: I stand up, and thou regardest me not.
I cry aloud unto thee, but thou answerest me not: I stand up, and thou fixest thy regard against me.
21 Thou art become cruel to me: with thy strong hand thou opposest thyself against me.
Thou art changed into a cruel master toward me: with the strength of thy hand thou assailest me.
22 Thou liftest me up to the wind; thou causest me to ride upon it, and dissolvest my substance.
Thou liftest me up to the wind; thou causest me to pass away, and dissolvest in me all wise counsel.
23 For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living.
For I know that thou wilt bring me back to death, and to the house of assembly for all the living.
24 Howbeit he will not stretch out his hand to the grave, though they cry in his destruction.
But doth not a man stretch out his hand among ruins? or doth one not cry out therefrom [for help] when he meeteth his downfall?
25 Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? was not my soul grieved for the poor?
Did I not weep for him that was hard pressed by misfortune? was not my soul grieved for the needy?
26 When I looked for good, then evil came unto me: and when I waited for light, there came darkness.
That I hoped for good, but there came evil; and I waited for light, and there came darkness!
27 My bowels boiled, and rested not: the days of affliction prevented me.
My bowels heave, and rest not: the days of affliction have overcome me.
28 I went mourning without the sun: I stood up, and I cried in the congregation.
I walk about mournfully without sunlight: when I rise up, in the assembly, I cry with pain.
29 I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls.
I am a brother to [howling] monsters, and a companion to ostriches.
30 My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned with heat.
My skin hangeth down black from me, and my bones are burnt from heat.
31 My harp also is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of them that weep.
And thus is changed to mourning my harp, and my pipe to the sound of weeping.
