Job 30
1 "But now those who are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to put with my sheep 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 Of what use is the strength of their hands to me, men in whom ripe age has perished?
Of what use to me would be even the strength of their hands, To whom old age is lost?
3 They are gaunt from lack and famine. They gnaw the dry ground, in the gloom of waste and desolation.
By want and hunger they are famished; They gnaw the dry desert, The darkness of desolate wastes.
4 They pluck salt herbs by the bushes. The roots of the broom are their food.
They gather purslain among the bushes, And the root of the broom is their bread.
5 They are driven out from the midst of men. They cry after them as after a thief;
They are driven from the society of men; There is a cry after them as after a thief.
6 So that they dwell in frightful valleys, and in holes of the earth and of the rocks.
They dwell in gloomy valleys, In caves of the earth and in rocks.
7 Among the bushes they bray; and under the nettles they are gathered together.
They bray among the bushes; Under the brambles are they stretched out.
8 They are children of fools, yes, children of base men. They were flogged out of the land.
An impious and low-born race, They are beaten out of the land.
9 "Now I have become their song. Yes, I am a byword to them.
And now I am become their song; Yea, I am their by-word!
10 They abhor me, they keep their distance from me, and do not hesitate 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 untied his cord, and afflicted me; and they have thrown off restraint before me.
Yea, they let loose the reins, and humble me; They cast off the bridle before me.
12 On my right hand rise the rabble. They thrust aside my feet, They cast up against me their ways of destruction.
On my right hand riseth up the brood; They thrust away my feet; They cast up against me their destructive ways.
13 They mar my path, They set forward my calamity, without anyone's help.
They break up my path; They hasten my fall, —They who have no helper!
14 As through a wide breach they come, in the midst of the ruin they roll themselves in.
They come upon me as through a wide breach; Through the ruins they rush in upon me.
15 Terrors have turned on me. They chase my honor as the wind. My welfare has passed away as a cloud.
Terrors are turned against me; They pursue my prosperity like the wind, And my welfare passeth away like a cloud.
16 "Now my soul is poured out within me. Days of affliction have taken hold on me.
And now my soul poureth itself out upon me; Days of affliction have taken hold of me.
17 In the night season my bones are pierced in me, and the pains that gnaw me take no rest.
By night my bones are pierced; they are torn from me, And my gnawers take no rest.
18 By great force is my garment disfigured. It binds me about 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 He has cast me into the mire. I have become like dust and ashes.
He hath cast me into the mire, And I am become like dust and ashes.
20 I cry to you, and you do not answer me. I stand up, and you gaze at me.
I call upon Thee, but thou dost not hear me; I stand up before thee, but thou regardest me not.
21 You have turned to be cruel to me. With the might of your hand you persecute me.
Thou art become cruel to me; With thy strong hand dost thou lie in wait for me.
22 You lift me up to the wind, and drive me with it. You dissolve me in the storm.
Thou liftest me up, and causest me to ride upon the wind; Thou meltest me away in the storm.
23 For I know that you will bring me to death, To the house appointed for all living.
I know that thou wilt bring me to death, To the place of assembly for all the living.
24 "However doesn't one stretch out a hand in his fall? Or in his calamity therefore cry for help?
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 who was in trouble? Wasn't 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 When I looked for good, then evil came; When I waited for light, there came darkness.
But when I looked for good, then evil came; When I looked for light, then came darkness.
27 My heart is troubled, and doesn't rest. Days of affliction have come on me.
My bowels boil, and have no rest; Days of anguish have come upon me.
28 I go mourning without the sun. I stand up in the assembly, and cry for help.
I am black, but not by the sun; I stand up, and utter my cries in the congregation.
29 I am a brother to jackals, and a companion to ostriches.
I am become a brother to jackals, And a companion to ostriches.
30 My skin grows black and peels from me. My bones are burned with heat.
My skin is black, and falleth from me, And my bones burn with heat.
31 Therefore my harp has turned to mourning, and my pipe into the voice of those who weep.
My harp also is turned to mourning, And my pipe to notes of grief.
