איוב 30

1 ועתה שחקו עלי-- צעירים ממני לימים אשר-מאסתי אבותם-- לשית עם-כלבי צאני

But now the youngest have laughed me to scorn, now they reprove me in [their] turn, whose fathers I set at nought; whom I did not deem worthy [to be with] my shepherd dogs.

2 גם-כח ידיהם למה לי עלימו אבד כלח

Yea, why had I the strength of their hands? for them the full term [of life] was lost.

3 בחסר ובכפן גלמוד הערקים ציה--אמש שואה ומשאה

[One is] childless in want and famine, [such as] they that fled but lately the distress and misery of drought.

4 הקטפים מלוח עלי-שיח ושרש רתמים לחמם

Who compass the salt places on the sounding [shore], who had salt [herbs] for their food, and were dishonorable and of no repute, in want of every good thing; who also ate roots of trees by reason of great hunger.

5 מן-גו יגרשו יריעו עלימו כגנב

Thieves have risen up against me,

6 בערוץ נחלים לשכן חרי עפר וכפים

whose houses were the caves of the rocks, who lived under the wild shrubs.

7 בין-שיחים ינהקו תחת חרול יספחו

They will cry out among the rustling [bushes].

8 בני-נבל גם-בני בלי-שם-- נכאו מן-הארץ

[They are] sons of fools and vile men, [whose] name and glory [are] quenched from off the earth.

9 ועתה נגינתם הייתי ואהי להם למלה

But now I am their music, and they have me for a by-word.

10 תעבוני רחקו מני ומפני לא-חשכו רק

And they stood aloof and abhorred me, and spared not to spit in my face.

11 כי-יתרו (יתרי) פתח ויענני ורסן מפני שלחו

For he has opened his quiver and afflicted me: they also have cast off the restraint of my presence.

12 על-ימין פרחח יקומו רגלי שלחו ויסלו עלי ארחות אידם

They have risen up against [me] on the right hand of [their] offspring; they have stretched out their foot, and directed against me the ways of their destruction.

13 נתסו נתיבתי להותי יעילו לא עזר למו

My paths are ruined; for they have stripped off my raiment: he has shot at me with his weapons.

14 כפרץ רחב יאתיו תחת שאה התגלגלו

And he has pleaded against me as he will: I am overwhelmed with pains.

15 ההפך עלי בלהות תרדף כרוח נדבתי וכעב עברה ישעתי

My pains return upon [me]; my hope is gone like the wind, and my safety as a cloud.

16 ועתה--עלי תשתפך נפשי יאחזוני ימי-עני

Even now my life shall be poured forth upon me; and days of anguish seize me.

17 לילה--עצמי נקר מעלי וערקי לא ישכבון

And by night my bones are confounded; and my sinews are relaxed.

18 ברב-כח יתחפש לבושי כפי כתנתי יאזרני

With great force [my disease] has taken hold of my garment: it has compassed me as the collar of my coat.

19 הרני לחמר ואתמשל כעפר ואפר

And thou hast counted me as clay; my portion in dust and ashes.

20 אשוע אליך ולא תענני עמדתי ותתבנן בי

And I have cried to thee, but thou hearest me not: but they stood still, and observed me.

21 תהפך לאכזר לי בעצם ידך תשטמני

They attacked me also without mercy: thou hast scourged me with a strong hand.

22 תשאני אל-רוח תרכיבני ותמגגני תשוה (תשיה)

And thou hast put me to grief, and hast cast me away from safety.

23 כי-ידעתי מות תשיבני ובית מועד לכל-חי

For I know that death will destroy me: for the earth is the house [appointed] for every mortal.

24 אך לא-בעי ישלח-יד אם-בפידו להן שוע

Oh then that I might lay hands upon myself, or at least ask another, and he should do this for me.

25 אם-לא בכיתי לקשה-יום עגמה נפשי לאביון

Yet I wept over every helpless man; I groaned when I saw a man in distress.

26 כי טוב קויתי ויבא רע ואיחלה לאור ויבא אפל

But I, when I waited for good things, behold, days of evils came the more upon me.

27 מעי רתחו ולא-דמו קדמני ימי-עני

My belly boiled, and would not cease: the days of poverty prevented me.

28 קדר הלכתי בלא חמה קמתי בקהל אשוע

I went mourning without restraint: and I have stood and cried out in the assembly.

29 אח הייתי לתנים ורע לבנות יענה

I am become a brother of monsters, and a companion of ostriches.

30 עורי שחר מעלי ועצמי-חרה מני-חרב

And my skin has been greatly blackened, and my bones are burned with heat.

31 ויהי לאבל כנרי ועגבי לקול בכים

My harp also has been turned into mourning, and my song into my weeping.