Job 30
1 But, now, they who are of fewer days than I, have poured derision upon me; whose fathers I refused—to set with the dogs of my flock.
"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 Even the strength of their hands, wherefore was it mine? Upon them, vigour was lost;
Of what use is the strength of their hands to me, men in whom ripe age has perished?
3 In want and hunger, they were lean, —who used to gnaw the dry ground, a dark night of desolation!
They are gaunt from lack and famine. They gnaw the dry ground, in the gloom of waste and desolation.
4 Who used to pluck off the mallow by the bushes, with the root of the broom for their food;
They pluck salt herbs by the bushes. The roots of the broom are their food.
5 Out of the midst, were they driven, men shouted after them, as after a thief;
They are driven out from the midst of men. They cry after them as after a thief;
6 In the fissures, of the ravines had they to dwell, in holes of dust and crags;
So that they dwell in frightful valleys, and in holes of the earth and of the rocks.
7 Among the bushes, used they to shriek, Under the bramble, were they huddled together:
Among the bushes they bray; and under the nettles they are gathered together.
8 Sons of the base, yea sons of the nameless, they were scourged out of the land.
They are children of fools, yes, children of base men. They were flogged out of the land.
9 But, now, their song, have I become, Yea I serve them for a byword;
"Now I have become their song. Yes, I am a byword to them.
10 They abhor me—have put themselves far from me, and, from my face, have not withheld—spittle!
They abhor me, they keep their distance from me, and do not hesitate to spit in my face.
11 Because, my girdle, he had loosened and had humbled me, therefore, the bridle—in my presence, cast they off;
For he has untied his cord, and afflicted me; and they have thrown off restraint before me.
12 On my right hand, the young brood rose up, —My feet, they thrust aside, and cast up against me their earthworks of destruction;
On my right hand rise the rabble. They thrust aside my feet, They cast up against me their ways of destruction.
13 They brake up my path, —My engulfing ruin, they helped forward, unaided;
They mar my path, They set forward my calamity, without anyone's help.
14 As through a wide breach, came they on, with a crashing noise, they rolled themselves along.
As through a wide breach they come, in the midst of the ruin they roll themselves in.
15 There are turned upon me terrors, —Chased away as with a wind, is mine abundance, and, as a cloud, hath passed away my prosperity.
Terrors have turned on me. They chase my honor as the wind. My welfare has passed away as a cloud.
16 Now, therefore, over myself, my soul poureth itself out, There seize me days of affliction:
"Now my soul is poured out within me. Days of affliction have taken hold on me.
17 Night, boreth, my bones, all over me, —and, my sinews, find no rest;
In the night season my bones are pierced in me, and the pains that gnaw me take no rest.
18 Most effectually, is my skin disfigured, —Like the collar of my tunic, it girdeth me about:
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 have become like dust and ashes.
He has cast me into the mire. I have become like dust and ashes.
20 I cry out for help unto thee, and thou dost not answer, I stand still, and thou dost gaze at me;
I cry to you, and you do not answer me. I stand up, and you gaze at me.
21 Thou art turned to become a cruel one unto me, With the might 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 up me to the wind, thou carriest me away, and the storm maketh me faint;
You lift me up to the wind, and drive me with it. You dissolve me in the storm.
23 For I know that, unto death, thou wilt bring me back, even unto the house of meeting for every one living.
For I know that you will bring me to death, To the house appointed for all living.
24 Only, against a heap of ruins, will one not thrust a hand! Surely, when one is in calamity—for that very reason, is there an outcry for help.
"However doesn't one stretch out a hand in his fall? Or in his calamity therefore cry for help?
25 Verily I wept, for him whose lot was hard, Grieved was my soul, for the needy.
Did I not weep for him who was in trouble? Wasn't my soul grieved for the needy?
26 Surely, for good, I looked, but there came in evil, And I waited for light, but there came in darkness;
When I looked for good, then evil came; When I waited for light, there came darkness.
27 I boiled within me, and rested not, There confronted me—days of affliction;
My heart is troubled, and doesn't rest. Days of affliction have come on me.
28 In gloom, I walked along, without sun, I arose—in the convocation, I cried out for help;
I go mourning without the sun. I stand up in the assembly, and cry for help.
29 A brother, became I to the brutes that howl, and a companion to the birds that screech:
I am a brother to jackals, and a companion to ostriches.
30 My skin, turned black, and peeled off me, and, my bones, burned with heat:
My skin grows black and peels from me. My bones are burned with heat.
31 Thus is attuned to mourning—my lyre, and my flute, to the noise of them who weep.
Therefore my harp has turned to mourning, and my pipe into the voice of those who weep.
