Job 30
1 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.
But now they that are younger than I hold me in derision, Whose fathers I would have disdained to set with the dogs of my flock.
2 Yes, why had I the strength of their hands? for them the full term [of life] was lost.
Of what use to me would be even the strength of their hands, To whom old age is lost?
3 [One is] childless in lack and famine, [such as] they that fled but lately the distress and misery of drought.
By want and hunger they are famished; They gnaw the dry desert, The darkness of desolate wastes.
4 Who compass the salt places on the sounding [shore], who had salt [herbs] for their food, and were dishonorable and of no repute, in lack of every good thing; who also ate roots of trees by reason of great hunger.
They gather purslain among the bushes, And the root of the broom is their bread.
5 Thieves have risen up against me,
They are driven from the society of men; There is a cry after them as after a thief.
6 whose houses were the caves of the rocks, who lived under the wild shrubs.
They dwell in gloomy valleys, In caves of the earth and in rocks.
7 They will cry out among the rustling [bushes].
They bray among the bushes; Under the brambles are they stretched out.
8 [They are] sons of fools and vile men, [whose] name and glory [are] quenched from off the earth.
An impious and low-born race, They are beaten out of the land.
9 But now I am their music, and they have me for a byword.
And now I am become their song; Yea, I am their by-word!
10 And they stood aloof and abhorred me, and spared not to spit in my face.
They abhor me, they stand aloof from me; They forbear not to spit before my face.
11 For he has opened his quiver and afflicted me: they also have cast off the restraint of my presence.
Yea, they let loose the reins, and humble me; They cast off the bridle before me.
12 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.
On my right hand riseth up the brood; They thrust away my feet; They cast up against me their destructive ways.
13 My paths are ruined; for they have stripped off my raiment: he has shot at me with his weapons.
They break up my path; They hasten my fall, —They who have no helper!
14 And he has pleaded against me as he will: I am overwhelmed with pains.
They come upon me as through a wide breach; Through the ruins they rush in upon me.
15 My pains return upon [me]; my hope is gone like the wind, and my safety as a cloud.
Terrors are turned against me; They pursue my prosperity like the wind, And my welfare passeth away like a cloud.
16 Even now my life shall be poured forth upon me; and days of anguish seize me.
And now my soul poureth itself out upon me; Days of affliction have taken hold of me.
17 And by night my bones are confounded; and my sinews are relaxed.
By night my bones are pierced; they are torn from me, And my gnawers take no rest.
18 With great force [my disease] has taken hold of my garment: it has compassed me as the collar of my coat.
Through the violence of my disease is my garment changed; It bindeth me about like the collar of my tunic.
19 And you have counted me as clay; my portion in dust and ashes.
He hath cast me into the mire, And I am become like dust and ashes.
20 And I have cried to you, but you hear me not: but they stood still, and observed me.
I call upon Thee, but thou dost not hear me; I stand up before thee, but thou regardest me not.
21 They attacked me also without mercy: you have scourged me with a strong hand.
Thou art become cruel to me; With thy strong hand dost thou lie in wait for me.
22 And you have put me to grief, and have cast me away from safety.
Thou liftest me up, and causest me to ride upon the wind; Thou meltest me away in the storm.
23 For I know that death will destroy me: for the earth is the house [appointed] for every mortal.
I know that thou wilt bring me to death, To the place of assembly for all the living.
24 Oh then that I might lay hands upon myself, or at least ask another, and he should do this for me.
When He stretcheth out his hand, prayer availeth nothing; When He bringeth destruction, vain is the cry for help.
25 Yet I wept over every helpless man; I groaned when I saw a man in distress.
Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? Was not my soul grieved for the poor?
26 But I, when I waited for good things, behold, days of evils came the more upon me.
But when I looked for good, then evil came; When I looked for light, then came darkness.
27 My belly boiled, and would not cease: the days of poverty prevented me.
My bowels boil, and have no rest; Days of anguish have come upon me.
28 I went mourning without restraint: and I have stood and cried out in the assembly.
I am black, but not by the sun; I stand up, and utter my cries in the congregation.
29 I am become a brother of monsters, and a companion of ostriches.
I am become a brother to jackals, And a companion to ostriches.
30 And my skin has been greatly blackened, and my bones are burned with heat.
My skin is black, and falleth from me, And my bones burn with heat.
31 My harp also has been turned into mourning, and my song into my weeping.
My harp also is turned to mourning, And my pipe to notes of grief.
