< Job 30 >

1 Bvt now they that are yonger then I, mocke me: yea, they whose fathers I haue refused to set with the dogges of my flockes.
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.
2 For whereto shoulde the strength of their handes haue serued mee, seeing age perished in them?
Yea, whereto [should] the strength of their hands [profit] me, [men] in whom vigour hath perished?
3 For pouertie and famine they were solitary, fleeing into the wildernes, which is darke, desolate and waste.
Withered up through want and hunger, they flee into waste places long since desolate and desert:
4 They cut vp nettels by the bushes, and the iuniper rootes was their meate.
They gather the salt-wort among the bushes, and the roots of the broom for their food.
5 They were chased forth from among men: they shouted at them, as at a theefe.
They are driven forth from among [men] — they cry after them as after a thief —
6 Therfore they dwelt in the clefts of riuers, in the holes of the earth and rockes.
To dwell in gloomy gorges, in caves of the earth and the rocks:
7 They roared among the bushes, and vnder the thistles they gathered themselues.
They bray among the bushes; under the brambles they are gathered together:
8 They were the children of fooles and the children of villaines, which were more vile then the earth.
Sons of fools, and sons of nameless sires, they are driven out of the land.
9 And now am I their song, and I am their talke.
And now I am their song, yea, I am their byword.
10 They abhorre me, and flee farre from mee, and spare not to spit in my face.
They abhor me, they stand aloof from me, yea, they spare not to spit in my face.
11 Because that God hath loosed my corde and humbled mee, they haue loosed the bridle before me.
For he hath loosed my cord and afflicted me; so they cast off the bridle before me.
12 The youth rise vp at my right hand: they haue pusht my feete, and haue trode on me as on the paths of their destruction.
At [my] right hand rise the young brood; they push away my feet, and raise up against me their pernicious ways;
13 They haue destroyed my paths: they tooke pleasure at my calamitie, they had none helpe.
They mar my path, they set forward my calamity, without any to help them;
14 They came as a great breach of waters, and vnder this calamitie they come on heapes.
They come in as through a wide breach: amid the confusion they roll themselves onward.
15 Feare is turned vpon mee: and they pursue my soule as the winde, and mine health passeth away as a cloude.
Terrors are turned against me; they pursue mine honour as the wind; and my welfare is passed away like a cloud.
16 Therefore my soule is nowe powred out vpon me, and the dayes of affliction haue taken holde on me.
And now my soul is poured out in me; days of affliction have taken hold upon me.
17 It pearceth my bones in the night, and my sinewes take no rest.
The night pierceth through my bones [and detacheth them] from me, and my gnawing pains take no rest:
18 For the great vehemencie is my garment changed, which compasseth me about as the colar of my coate.
By their great force they have become my raiment; they bind me about as the collar of my coat.
19 He hath cast me into the myre, and I am become like ashes and dust.
He hath cast me into the mire, and I have become like dust and ashes.
20 Whe I cry vnto thee, thou doest not heare me, neither regardest me, when I stand vp.
I cry unto thee, and thou answerest me not; I stand up, and thou lookest at me.
21 Thou turnest thy selfe cruelly against me, and art enemie vnto mee with the strength of thine hand.
Thou art changed to a cruel one to me; with the strength of thy hand thou pursuest me.
22 Thou takest me vp and causest mee to ride vpon the winde, and makest my strength to faile.
Thou liftest me up to the wind; thou causest me to be borne away, and dissolvest my substance.
23 Surely I knowe that thou wilt bring mee to death, and to the house appoynted for all the liuing.
For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and into the house of assemblage for all living.
24 Doubtles none can stretch his hand vnto the graue, though they cry in his destruction.
Indeed, no prayer [availeth] when he stretcheth out [his] hand: though they cry when he destroyeth.
25 Did not I weepe with him that was in trouble? was not my soule in heauinesse for the poore?
Did not I weep for him whose days were hard? was not my soul grieved for the needy?
26 Yet when I looked for good, euill came vnto me: and when I waited for light, there came darkenesse.
For I expected good, and there came evil; and I waited for light, but there came darkness.
27 My bowels did boyle without rest: for the dayes of affliction are come vpon me.
My bowels well up, and rest not; days of affliction have confronted me.
28 I went mourning without sunne: I stood vp in the congregation and cryed.
I go about blackened, but not by the sun; I stand up, I cry in the congregation.
29 I am a brother to the dragons, and a companion to the ostriches.
I am become a brother to jackals, and a companion of ostriches.
30 My skinne is blacke vpon me, and my bones are burnt with heate.
My skin is become black [and falleth] off me, and my bones are parched with heat.
31 Therefore mine harpe is turned to mourning, and mine organs into the voyce of them that weepe.
My harp also is [turned] to mourning, and my pipe into the voice of weepers.

< Job 30 >