Job 30
1 But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to set with the dogs of my flock.
“But now those who are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I considered unworthy to put with my sheep dogs.
2 Yea, whereto [should] the strength of their hands [profit] me, [men] in whom vigour hath perished?
Of what use is the strength of their hands to me, men in whom ripe age has perished?
3 Withered up through want and hunger, they flee into waste places long since desolate and desert:
They are gaunt from lack and famine. They gnaw the dry ground, in the gloom of waste and desolation.
4 They gather the salt-wort among the bushes, and the roots of the broom for their food.
They pluck salt herbs by the bushes. The roots of the broom tree are their food.
5 They are driven forth from among [men] — they cry after them as after a thief —
They are driven out from amongst men. They cry after them as after a thief,
6 To dwell in gloomy gorges, in caves of the earth and the rocks:
so that they live in frightful valleys, and in holes of the earth and of the rocks.
7 They bray among the bushes; under the brambles they are gathered together:
They bray amongst the bushes. They are gathered together under the nettles.
8 Sons of fools, and sons of nameless sires, they are driven out of the land.
They are children of fools, yes, children of wicked men. They were flogged out of the land.
9 And now I am their song, yea, I am their byword.
“Now I have become their song. Yes, I am a byword to them.
10 They abhor me, they stand aloof from me, yea, they spare not to spit in my face.
They abhor me, they stand aloof from me, and don’t hesitate to spit in my face.
11 For he hath loosed my cord and afflicted me; so they cast off the bridle before me.
For he has untied his cord, and afflicted me; and they have thrown off restraint before me.
12 At [my] right hand rise the young brood; they push away my feet, and raise up against me their pernicious ways;
On my right hand rise the rabble. They thrust aside my feet. They cast their ways of destruction up against me.
13 They mar my path, they set forward my calamity, without any to help them;
They mar my path. They promote my destruction without anyone’s help.
14 They come in as through a wide breach: amid the confusion they roll themselves onward.
As through a wide breach they come. They roll themselves in amid the ruin.
15 Terrors are turned against me; they pursue mine honour as the wind; and my welfare is passed away like a cloud.
Terrors have turned on me. They chase my honour as the wind. My welfare has passed away as a cloud.
16 And now my soul is poured out in me; days of affliction have taken hold upon me.
“Now my soul is poured out within me. Days of affliction have taken hold of me.
17 The night pierceth through my bones [and detacheth them] from me, and my gnawing pains take no rest:
In the night season my bones are pierced in me, and the pains that gnaw me take no rest.
18 By their great force they have become my raiment; they bind me about as the collar of my coat.
My garment is disfigured by great force. It binds me about as the collar of my tunic.
19 He hath cast me into the mire, and I have become like dust and ashes.
He has cast me into the mire. I have become like dust and ashes.
20 I cry unto thee, and thou answerest me not; I stand up, and thou lookest at me.
I cry to you, and you do not answer me. I stand up, and you gaze at me.
21 Thou art changed to a cruel one to me; with the strength of thy hand thou pursuest me.
You have turned to be cruel to me. With the might of your hand you persecute me.
22 Thou liftest me up to the wind; thou causest me to be borne away, and dissolvest my substance.
You lift me up to the wind, and drive me with it. You dissolve me in the storm.
23 For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and into the house of assemblage for all living.
For I know that you will bring me to death, to the house appointed for all living.
24 Indeed, no prayer [availeth] when he stretcheth out [his] hand: though they cry when he destroyeth.
“However doesn’t one stretch out a hand in his fall? Or in his calamity therefore cry for help?
25 Did not I weep for him whose days were hard? was not my soul grieved for the needy?
Didn’t I weep for him who was in trouble? Wasn’t my soul grieved for the needy?
26 For I expected good, and there came evil; and I waited for light, but there came darkness.
When I looked for good, then evil came. When I waited for light, darkness came.
27 My bowels well up, and rest not; days of affliction have confronted me.
My heart is troubled, and doesn’t rest. Days of affliction have come on me.
28 I go about blackened, but not by the sun; I stand up, I cry in the congregation.
I go mourning without the sun. I stand up in the assembly, and cry for help.
29 I am become a brother to jackals, and a companion of ostriches.
I am a brother to jackals, and a companion to ostriches.
30 My skin is become black [and falleth] off me, and my bones are parched with heat.
My skin grows black and peels from me. My bones are burnt with heat.
31 My harp also is [turned] to mourning, and my pipe into the voice of weepers.
Therefore my harp has turned to mourning, and my pipe into the voice of those who weep.
