Job 30
1 “But now men who are younger than I am make fun of me— men whose fathers I greatly despised, with the result that I would not even have allowed them to help my dogs guard my sheep.
“And now, laughed at me, Have the younger in days than I, Whose fathers I have loathed to set With the dogs of my flock.
2 They were men who were old and (weak/worn out); so (what could I gain from them working for me?/I would have gained nothing from them working for me.) [RHQ]
Also—the power of their hands, why [is it] to me? On them old age has perished.
3 They were very poor and hungry, with the result that they chewed on roots [at night] in dry and desolate places.
With want and with harsh famine, They are gnawing a dry place [in] the recent night, [In] desolation and ruin,
4 They pulled up plants in the desert [and ate them] and warmed themselves by [burning] the roots of broom trees.
Those cropping mallows near a shrub, And their food [is] root of broom trees.
5 Everyone shouted at them as though they were thieves and expelled them [from their areas].
They are cast out from the midst (They shout against them as a thief),
6 They were forced to live in caves in the hills, in holes in the ground, and in the sides of cliffs.
To dwell in a frightful place of valleys, Holes of earth and clefts.
7 In the bushes they howled [like animals because they were hungry], and they huddled together under thornbushes.
They groan among shrubs, They are gathered together under nettles.
8 They were people without good sense, whose names no one knows; they have been expelled from the land [where they were born].
Sons of folly—even sons without name, They have been struck from the land.
9 “And now their [children] sing songs to make fun of me. They tell jokes about me.
And now, I have been their song, And I am to them for a byword.
10 They are disgusted with me, and they [usually] stay away from me, [but when they see me, ] they are happy to spit in my face.
They have detested me, They have kept far from me, And from before me have not spared to spit.
11 Because [it is as though] [MET] God has cut my bowstring, [he has caused me to be unable to defend myself, ] and he has humbled me, and my enemies have done to me whatever they wanted.
Because He loosed His cord and afflicts me, And the bridle from before me, They have cast away.
12 (Gangs/Groups of violent youths) attack me and force me to run away; they prepare to destroy me.
A brood arises on the right hand, They have cast away my feet, And they raise up against me, Their paths of calamity.
13 They prevent me from escaping, and they [do] not [need] anyone to help them (OR, there is no one to help me).
They have broken down my path, They profit by my calamity: He has no helper.
14 [It is as though I am a city wall and] [SIM] they have broken through the wall, and they have come crashing down on me.
They come as a wide breach, Under the desolation have rolled themselves.
15 I am very terrified; My dignity/honor has been taken away as though [SIM] [it has been] blown away by the wind, and my prosperity has disappeared like [SIM] clouds disappear.
He has turned terrors against me, It pursues my abundance as the wind, And as a thick cloud, My safety has passed away.
16 “And now I [SYN] am about to die [IDM]; I suffer every day.
And now, in me my soul pours itself out, Days of affliction seize me.
17 My bones ache during the night, and the pain that torments me never stops.
[At] night my bone has been pierced in me, And my gnawing [pain] does not lie down.
18 [It is as though God] seizes my clothes and chokes me with the collar of my coat.
By the abundance of power, Is my clothing changed, As the mouth of my coat it girds me.
19 He has thrown me into the mud; I am [not worth anything more than] dust and ashes.
Casting me into mire, And I have become like dust and ashes.
20 “I cry out to God, but he does not answer/help me; I stand up [and pray], but he does not pay any attention.
I cry to You, And You do not answer me, I have stood, and You consider me.
21 He acts very cruelly toward me; with all of his power [MTY] he causes me to suffer.
You are turned to be fierce to me, With the strength of Your hand, You oppress me.
22 He [allows] the wind to lift me up and blow me away, and he tosses me up and down in a violent storm.
You lift me up, You cause me to ride on the wind, And You melt—You level me.
23 I know that he will cause me to die, which is what happens to everyone [MTY] who is alive.
For I have known You bring me back [to] death, And [to] the house appointed for all living.
24 “When people experience disasters, and they sit on a pile of ruins and cry out for help, others surely [RHQ] reach out their hand to help them.
Surely not against the heap Does He send forth the hand, Though they have safety in its ruin.
25 [That is what I did previously]. I wept for people who were experiencing troubles, and I felt sorry for poor/needy people.
Did I not weep for him whose day is hard? My soul has grieved for the needy.
26 But when I expected good things [to happen to me], evil things happened; when I waited for light/happiness, all I experienced was darkness/unhappiness [MET].
When I expected good, then comes evil, And I wait for light, and darkness comes.
27 I am very distressed [IDM], all the time; I suffer every day.
My bowels have boiled, and have not ceased, Days of affliction have gone before me.
28 I go about very discouraged; I stand up and plead for people to help me.
I have gone mourning without the sun, I have risen, I cry in an assembly.
29 My wailing sounds as sad as [MET] the cries of jackals/foxes and ostriches.
I have been a brother to dragons, And a companion to daughters of the ostrich.
30 My skin has become dark/black and is peeling off, and I have a fever [which causes my body to feel like it is] burning.
My skin has been black on me, And my bone has burned from heat,
31 Previously, I played joyful music on my harp and with my flute, but now I play only the sad music of those who mourn.”
And my harp becomes mourning, And my pipe the sound of weeping.”
