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 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 Yea, what possible use can the strength of their hands be unto me, over whom old age hath passed fruitlessly?
Of what use to me would be even the strength of their hands, To whom old age is lost?
3 Who suffer for want and famine in solitude; who flee into the wilderness [where all is] darkness, ruin, and desolation;
By want and hunger they are famished; They gnaw the dry desert, The darkness of desolate wastes.
4 Who crop off mallows by the bushes, and have broom-bush roots as their bread;
They gather purslain among the bushes, And the root of the broom is their bread.
5 Who are driven forth from among [men], who are shouted after as though they were thieves,
They are driven from the society of men; There is a 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.
They dwell in gloomy valleys, In caves of the earth and in rocks.
7 Among the bushes they shriek; under briers they are huddled together,
They bray among the bushes; Under the brambles are they stretched out.
8 The children of the worthless, yea, the children of the nameless, who were outcasts from the land.
An impious and low-born race, They are beaten out of the land.
9 But now I am become their song, and I am become a byword unto them.
And now I am become their song; Yea, I am their by-word!
10 They loathe me, they keep themselves far from me, and from my face they withhold not their spittle.
They abhor me, they stand aloof from me; They forbear not to spit before my face.
11 Because he hath loosened the cord of my bow, and afflicted me, they have also cast off the bridle before me.
Yea, they let loose the reins, and humble me; They cast off the bridle 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 riseth up the brood; They thrust away my feet; They cast up against me their destructive ways.
13 They destroy my footpath, they help forward my downfall, without any one to aid them.
They break up my path; They hasten my fall, —They who have no helper!
14 As [through] a broad breach they come: amidst a loud noise they rolled themselves along.
They come upon me as through a wide breach; Through the ruins they rush in upon me.
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 are turned against me; They pursue my prosperity like the wind, And my welfare passeth away like a cloud.
16 And now my soul is poured out over me; the days of affliction have seized on me;
And now my soul poureth itself out upon me; Days of affliction have taken hold of me.
17 All night it holloweth out my bones out of my body; and my pursuers take no rest.
By night my bones are pierced; they are torn from me, And my gnawers take no rest.
18 Through the Almlghty's power is my garment made unknown: like the opening of my coat hath he enclosed me.
Through the violence of my disease is my garment changed; It bindeth me about like the collar of my tunic.
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 aloud unto thee, but thou answerest me not: I stand up, and thou fixest thy regard against me.
I call upon Thee, but thou dost not hear me; I stand up before thee, but thou regardest me not.
21 Thou art changed into a cruel master toward me: with the strength of thy hand thou assailest me.
Thou art become cruel to me; With thy strong hand dost thou lie in wait for me.
22 Thou liftest me up to the wind; thou causest me to pass away, and dissolvest in me all wise counsel.
Thou liftest me up, and causest me to ride upon the wind; Thou meltest me away 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.
I know that thou wilt bring me to death, To the place of assembly for all the 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?
When He stretcheth out his hand, prayer availeth nothing; When He bringeth destruction, vain is the 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 not I weep for him that was in trouble? Was not my soul grieved for the poor?
26 That I hoped for good, but there came evil; and I waited for light, and there came darkness!
But when I looked for good, then evil came; When I looked for light, then came darkness.
27 My bowels heave, and rest not: the days of affliction have overcome me.
My bowels boil, and have no rest; Days of anguish have come upon me.
28 I walk about mournfully without sunlight: when I rise up, in the assembly, I cry with pain.
I am black, but not by the sun; I stand up, and utter my cries in the congregation.
29 I am a brother to [howling] monsters, and a companion to ostriches.
I am become 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 is black, and falleth from me, And my bones burn with heat.
31 And thus is changed to mourning my harp, and my pipe to the sound of weeping.
My harp also is turned to mourning, And my pipe to notes of grief.
