Job 30
1 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.
"But now those who are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to put with my sheep dogs.
2 Yea, what possible use can the strength of their hands be unto me, over whom old age hath passed fruitlessly?
Of what use is the strength of their hands to me, men in whom ripe age has perished?
3 Who suffer for want and famine in solitude; who flee into the wilderness [where all is] darkness, ruin, and desolation;
They are gaunt from lack and famine. They gnaw the dry ground, in the gloom of waste and desolation.
4 Who crop off mallows by the bushes, and have broom-bush roots as their bread;
They pluck salt herbs by the bushes. The roots of the broom are their food.
5 Who are driven forth from among [men], who are shouted after as though they were thieves,
They are driven out from the midst of men. They cry after them as after a thief;
6 To dwell in the caverns of the valleys, in holes of the earth, and on naked cliffs.
So that they dwell in frightful valleys, and in holes of the earth and of the rocks.
7 Among the bushes they shriek; under briers they are huddled together,
Among the bushes they bray; and under the nettles they are gathered together.
8 The children of the worthless, yea, the children of the nameless, who were outcasts from the land.
They are children of fools, yes, children of base men. They were flogged out of the land.
9 But now I am become their song, and I am become a byword unto them.
"Now I have become their song. Yes, I am a byword to them.
10 They loathe me, they keep themselves far from me, and from my face they withhold not their spittle.
They abhor me, they keep their distance from me, and do not hesitate to spit in my face.
11 Because he hath loosened the cord of my bow, and afflicted me, they have also cast off the bridle before me.
For he has untied his cord, and afflicted me; and they have thrown off restraint before me.
12 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.
On my right hand rise the rabble. They thrust aside my feet, They cast up against me their ways of destruction.
13 They destroy my footpath, they help forward my downfall, without any one to aid them.
They mar my path, They set forward my calamity, without anyone's help.
14 As [through] a broad breach they come: amidst a loud noise they rolled themselves along.
As through a wide breach they come, in the midst of the ruin they roll themselves in.
15 Terrors have turned their face against me; they chase like the wind my glory: and like a cloud is my happiness passed away.
Terrors have turned on me. They chase my honor as the wind. My welfare has passed away as a cloud.
16 And now my soul is poured out over me; the days of affliction have seized on me;
"Now my soul is poured out within me. Days of affliction have taken hold on me.
17 All night it holloweth out my bones out of my body; and my pursuers take no rest.
In the night season my bones are pierced in me, and the pains that gnaw me take no rest.
18 Through the Almlghty's power is my garment made unknown: like the opening of my coat hath he enclosed me.
By great force is my garment disfigured. It binds me about as the collar of my coat.
19 He hath cast me into the mire, and I am become like dust and ashes.
He has cast me into the mire. I have become like dust and ashes.
20 I cry aloud unto thee, but thou answerest me not: I stand up, and thou fixest thy regard against me.
I cry to you, and you do not answer me. I stand up, and you gaze at me.
21 Thou art changed into a cruel master toward me: with the strength of thy hand thou assailest me.
You have turned to be cruel to me. With the might of your hand you persecute me.
22 Thou liftest me up to the wind; thou causest me to pass away, and dissolvest in me all wise counsel.
You lift me up to the wind, and drive me with it. You dissolve me in the storm.
23 For I know that thou wilt bring me back to death, and to the house of assembly for all the living.
For I know that you will bring me to death, To the house appointed for all living.
24 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?
"However doesn't one stretch out a hand in his fall? Or in his calamity therefore cry for help?
25 Did I not weep for him that was hard pressed by misfortune? was not my soul grieved for the needy?
Did I not weep for him who was in trouble? Wasn't my soul grieved for the needy?
26 That I hoped for good, but there came evil; and I waited for light, and there came darkness!
When I looked for good, then evil came; When I waited for light, there came darkness.
27 My bowels heave, and rest not: the days of affliction have overcome me.
My heart is troubled, and doesn't rest. Days of affliction have come on me.
28 I walk about mournfully without sunlight: when I rise up, in the assembly, I cry with pain.
I go mourning without the sun. I stand up in the assembly, and cry for help.
29 I am a brother to [howling] monsters, and a companion to ostriches.
I am a brother to jackals, and a companion to ostriches.
30 My skin hangeth down black from me, and my bones are burnt from heat.
My skin grows black and peels from me. My bones are burned with heat.
31 And thus is changed to mourning my harp, and my pipe to the sound of weeping.
Therefore my harp has turned to mourning, and my pipe into the voice of those who weep.
