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 have me in derision, whose fathers I 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?
Yea, the strength of their hands, whereto should it profit me? men in whom ripe age is 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 with want and famine; they gnaw the dry ground; in the gloom of wasteness and desolation.
4 Who crop off mallows by the bushes, and have broom-bush roots as their bread;
They pluck salt-wort by the bushes; and the roots of the broom [are] their meat.
5 Who are driven forth from among [men], who are shouted after as though they were thieves,
They are driven forth 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.
In the clefts of the valleys must they dwell, 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; 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, yea, children of base men; they were scourged 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 a byword unto them.
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, and spare not 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 hath loosed his cord, and afflicted me, and they have 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.
Upon my right hand rise the rabble; they thrust aside my feet, and 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, [even] men that have no helper.
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 [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 upon me, they chase mine honour as the wind; and my welfare is passed away as a cloud.
16 And now my soul is poured out over me; the days of affliction have seized on me;
And now my soul is poured out within me; days of affliction have taken hold upon 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 the great force [of my disease] is my garment disfigured: it bindeth 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 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 cry unto thee, and thou dost not answer me: I stand up, and thou lookest at me.
21 Thou art changed into a cruel master toward me: with the strength of thy hand thou assailest me.
Thou art turned to be cruel to me: with the might of thy hand thou persecutest 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 to the wind, thou causest me to ride [upon it]; and thou dissolvest 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 thou wilt bring me to death, and 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?
Surely against a ruinous heap he will not put forth his hand; though [it be] in his destruction, [one may utter] a cry because of these things.
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 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; and when I waited for light, there came darkness.
27 My bowels heave, and rest not: the days of affliction have overcome me.
My bowels boil, and rest not; days of affliction are come upon 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 is black, [and falleth] from me, and my bones are burned with heat.
31 And thus is changed to mourning my harp, and my pipe to the sound of weeping.
Therefore is my harp [turned] to mourning, and my pipe into the voice of them that weep.
