Job 30
1 But now they who are younger than I in years laugh at me, whose fathers I scorned to put as equals with the dogs of my flocks.
But now the youngest have laughed me to scorn, now they reprove me in [their] turn, whose fathers I set at nothing; whom I did not deem worthy [to be with] my shepherd dogs.
2 Yea, what possible use can the strength of their hands be unto me, over whom old age hath passed fruitlessly?
Yes, why had I the strength of their hands? for them the full term [of life] was lost.
3 Who suffer for want and famine in solitude; who flee into the wilderness [where all is] darkness, ruin, and desolation;
[One is] childless in lack and famine, [such as] they that fled but lately the distress and misery of drought.
4 Who crop off mallows by the bushes, and have broom-bush roots as their bread;
Who compass the salt places on the sounding [shore], who had salt [herbs] for their food, and were dishonorable and of no repute, in lack of every good thing; who also ate roots of trees by reason of great hunger.
5 Who are driven forth from among [men], who are shouted after as though they were thieves,
Thieves have risen up against me,
6 To dwell in the caverns of the valleys, in holes of the earth, and on naked cliffs.
whose houses were the caves of the rocks, who lived under the wild shrubs.
7 Among the bushes they shriek; under briers they are huddled together,
They will cry out among the rustling [bushes].
8 The children of the worthless, yea, the children of the nameless, who were outcasts from the land.
[They are] sons of fools and vile men, [whose] name and glory [are] quenched from off the earth.
9 But now I am become their song, and I am become a byword unto them.
But now I am their music, and they have me for a byword.
10 They loathe me, they keep themselves far from me, and from my face they withhold not their spittle.
And they stood aloof and abhorred me, and spared not to spit in my face.
11 Because he hath loosened the cord of my bow, and afflicted me, they have also cast off the bridle before me.
For he has opened his quiver and afflicted me: they also have cast off the restraint of my presence.
12 Against my right hand rise up this swarm of worthless youths: they push away my feet, and they level against me their calamity-bringing paths.
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 They destroy my footpath, they help forward my downfall, without any one to aid them.
My paths are ruined; for they have stripped off my raiment: he has shot at me with his weapons.
14 As [through] a broad breach they come: amidst a loud noise they rolled themselves along.
And he has pleaded against me as he will: I am overwhelmed with pains.
15 Terrors have turned their face against me; they chase like the wind my glory: and like a cloud is my happiness passed away.
My pains return upon [me]; my hope is gone like the wind, and my safety as a cloud.
16 And now my soul is poured out over me; the days of affliction have seized on me;
Even now my life shall be poured forth upon me; and days of anguish seize me.
17 All night it holloweth out my bones out of my body; and my pursuers take no rest.
And by night my bones are confounded; and my sinews are relaxed.
18 Through the Almlghty's power is my garment made unknown: like the opening of my coat hath he enclosed me.
With great force [my disease] has taken hold of my garment: it has compassed me as the collar of my coat.
19 He hath cast me into the mire, and I am become like dust and ashes.
And you have counted me as clay; my portion in dust and ashes.
20 I cry aloud unto thee, but thou answerest me not: I stand up, and thou fixest thy regard against me.
And I have cried to you, but you hear me not: but they stood still, and observed me.
21 Thou art changed into a cruel master toward me: with the strength of thy hand thou assailest me.
They attacked me also without mercy: you have scourged me with a strong hand.
22 Thou liftest me up to the wind; thou causest me to pass away, and dissolvest in me all wise counsel.
And you have put me to grief, and have cast me away from safety.
23 For I know that thou wilt bring me back to death, and to the house of assembly for all the living.
For I know that death will destroy me: for the earth is the house [appointed] for every mortal.
24 But doth not a man stretch out his hand among ruins? or doth one not cry out therefrom [for help] when he meeteth his downfall?
Oh then that I might lay hands upon myself, or at least ask another, and he should do this for me.
25 Did I not weep for him that was hard pressed by misfortune? was not my soul grieved for the needy?
Yet I wept over every helpless man; I groaned when I saw a man in distress.
26 That I hoped for good, but there came evil; and I waited for light, and there came darkness!
But I, when I waited for good things, behold, days of evils came the more upon me.
27 My bowels heave, and rest not: the days of affliction have overcome me.
My belly boiled, and would not cease: the days of poverty prevented me.
28 I walk about mournfully without sunlight: when I rise up, in the assembly, I cry with pain.
I went mourning without restraint: and I have stood and cried out in the assembly.
29 I am a brother to [howling] monsters, and a companion to ostriches.
I am become a brother of monsters, and a companion of ostriches.
30 My skin hangeth down black from me, and my bones are burnt from heat.
And my skin has been greatly blackened, and my bones are burned with heat.
31 And thus is changed to mourning my harp, and my pipe to the sound of weeping.
My harp also has been turned into mourning, and my song into my weeping.
