Job 30
1 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.
“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.
2 Also — the power of their hands, why [is it] to me? On them hath old age perished.
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]
3 With want and with famine gloomy, Those fleeing to a dry place, Formerly a desolation and waste,
They were very poor and hungry, with the result that they chewed on roots [at night] in dry and desolate places.
4 Those cropping mallows near a shrub, And broom-roots [is] their food.
They pulled up plants in the desert [and ate them] and warmed themselves by [burning] the roots of broom trees.
5 From the midst they are cast out, (They shout against them as a thief),
Everyone shouted at them as though they were thieves and expelled them [from their areas].
6 In a frightful place of valleys to dwell, Holes of earth and clefts.
They were forced to live in caves in the hills, in holes in the ground, and in the sides of cliffs.
7 Among shrubs they do groan, Under nettles they are gathered together.
In the bushes they howled [like animals because they were hungry], and they huddled together under thornbushes.
8 Sons of folly — even sons without name, They have been smitten from the land.
They were people without good sense, whose names no one knows; they have been expelled from the land [where they were born].
9 And now, their song I have been, And I am to them for a byword.
“And now their [children] sing songs to make fun of me. They tell jokes about me.
10 They have abominated me, They have kept far from me, And from before me have not spared to spit.
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.
11 Because His cord He loosed and afflicteth me, And the bridle from before me, They have cast away.
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.
12 On the right hand doth a brood arise, My feet they have cast away, And they raise up against me, Their paths of calamity.
(Gangs/Groups of violent youths) attack me and force me to run away; they prepare to destroy me.
13 They have broken down my path, By my calamity they profit, 'He hath no helper.'
They prevent me from escaping, and they [do] not [need] anyone to help them (OR, there is no one to help me).
14 As a wide breach they come, Under the desolation have rolled themselves.
[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.
15 He hath turned against me terrors, It pursueth as the wind mine abundance, And as a thick cloud, Hath my safety passed away.
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.
16 And now, in me my soul poureth itself out, Seize me do days of affliction.
“And now I [SYN] am about to die [IDM]; I suffer every day.
17 At night my bone hath been pierced in me, And mine eyelids do not lie down.
My bones ache during the night, and the pain that torments me never stops.
18 By the abundance of power, Is my clothing changed, As the mouth of my coat it doth gird me.
[It is as though God] seizes my clothes and chokes me with the collar of my coat.
19 Casting me into mire, And I am become like dust and ashes.
He has thrown me into the mud; I am [not worth anything more than] dust and ashes.
20 I cry unto Thee, And Thou dost not answer me, I have stood, and Thou dost consider me.
“I cry out to God, but he does not answer/help me; I stand up [and pray], but he does not pay any attention.
21 Thou art turned to be fierce to me, With the strength of Thy hand, Thou oppressest me.
He acts very cruelly toward me; with all of his power [MTY] he causes me to suffer.
22 Thou dost lift me up, On the wind Thou dost cause me to ride, And Thou meltest — Thou levellest me.
He [allows] the wind to lift me up and blow me away, and he tosses me up and down in a violent storm.
23 For I have known To death Thou dost bring me back, And [to] the house appointed for all living.
I know that he will cause me to die, which is what happens to everyone [MTY] who is alive.
24 Surely not against the heap Doth He send forth the hand, Though in its ruin they have safety.
“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.
25 Did not I weep for him whose day is hard? Grieved hath my soul for the needy.
[That is what I did previously]. I wept for people who were experiencing troubles, and I felt sorry for poor/needy people.
26 When good I expected, then cometh evil, And I wait for light, and darkness cometh.
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].
27 My bowels have boiled, and have not ceased, Gone before me have days of affliction.
I am very distressed [IDM], all the time; I suffer every day.
28 Mourning I have gone without the sun, I have risen, in an assembly I cry.
I go about very discouraged; I stand up and plead for people to help me.
29 A brother I have been to dragons, And a companion to daughters of the ostrich.
My wailing sounds as sad as [MET] the cries of jackals/foxes and ostriches.
30 My skin hath been black upon me, And my bone hath burned from heat,
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.
31 And my harp doth become mourning, And my organ the sound of weeping.
Previously, I played joyful music on my harp and with my flute, but now I play only the sad music of those who mourn.”
