Job 30
1 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.
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 Yea, why had I the strength of their hands? for them the full term [of life] was lost.
Also — the power of their hands, why [is it] to me? On them hath old age perished.
3 [One is] childless in want and famine, [such as] they that fled but lately the distress and misery of drought.
With want and with famine gloomy, Those fleeing to a dry place, Formerly a desolation and waste,
4 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.
Those cropping mallows near a shrub, And broom-roots [is] their food.
5 Thieves have risen up against me,
From the midst they are cast out, (They shout against them as a thief),
6 whose houses were the caves of the rocks, who lived under the wild shrubs.
In a frightful place of valleys to dwell, Holes of earth and clefts.
7 They will cry out among the rustling [bushes].
Among shrubs they do groan, Under nettles they are gathered together.
8 [They are] sons of fools and vile men, [whose] name and glory [are] quenched from off the earth.
Sons of folly — even sons without name, They have been smitten from the land.
9 But now I am their music, and they have me for a by-word.
And now, their song I have been, And I am to them for a byword.
10 And they stood aloof and abhorred me, and spared not to spit in my face.
They have abominated me, They have kept far from me, And from before me have not spared to spit.
11 For he has opened his quiver and afflicted me: they also have cast off the restraint of my presence.
Because His cord He loosed and afflicteth me, And the bridle from before me, They have cast away.
12 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.
On the right hand doth a brood arise, My feet they have cast away, And they raise up against me, Their paths of calamity.
13 My paths are ruined; for they have stripped off my raiment: he has shot at me with his weapons.
They have broken down my path, By my calamity they profit, 'He hath no helper.'
14 And he has pleaded against me as he will: I am overwhelmed with pains.
As a wide breach they come, Under the desolation have rolled themselves.
15 My pains return upon [me]; my hope is gone like the wind, and my safety as a cloud.
He hath turned against me terrors, It pursueth as the wind mine abundance, And as a thick cloud, Hath my safety passed away.
16 Even now my life shall be poured forth upon me; and days of anguish seize me.
And now, in me my soul poureth itself out, Seize me do days of affliction.
17 And by night my bones are confounded; and my sinews are relaxed.
At night my bone hath been pierced in me, And mine eyelids do not lie down.
18 With great force [my disease] has taken hold of my garment: it has compassed me as the collar of my coat.
By the abundance of power, Is my clothing changed, As the mouth of my coat it doth gird me.
19 And thou hast counted me as clay; my portion in dust and ashes.
Casting me into mire, And I am become like dust and ashes.
20 And I have cried to thee, but thou hearest me not: but they stood still, and observed me.
I cry unto Thee, And Thou dost not answer me, I have stood, and Thou dost consider me.
21 They attacked me also without mercy: thou hast scourged me with a strong hand.
Thou art turned to be fierce to me, With the strength of Thy hand, Thou oppressest me.
22 And thou hast put me to grief, and hast cast me away from safety.
Thou dost lift me up, On the wind Thou dost cause me to ride, And Thou meltest — Thou levellest me.
23 For I know that death will destroy me: for the earth is the house [appointed] for every mortal.
For I have known To death Thou dost bring me back, And [to] the house appointed for all living.
24 Oh then that I might lay hands upon myself, or at least ask another, and he should do this for me.
Surely not against the heap Doth He send forth the hand, Though in its ruin they have safety.
25 Yet I wept over every helpless man; I groaned when I saw a man in distress.
Did not I weep for him whose day is hard? Grieved hath my soul for the needy.
26 But I, when I waited for good things, behold, days of evils came the more upon me.
When good I expected, then cometh evil, And I wait for light, and darkness cometh.
27 My belly boiled, and would not cease: the days of poverty prevented me.
My bowels have boiled, and have not ceased, Gone before me have days of affliction.
28 I went mourning without restraint: and I have stood and cried out in the assembly.
Mourning I have gone without the sun, I have risen, in an assembly I cry.
29 I am become a brother of monsters, and a companion of ostriches.
A brother I have been to dragons, And a companion to daughters of the ostrich.
30 And my skin has been greatly blackened, and my bones are burned with heat.
My skin hath been black upon me, And my bone hath burned from heat,
31 My harp also has been turned into mourning, and my song into my weeping.
And my harp doth become mourning, And my organ the sound of weeping.
