< Job 30 >

1 But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I disdained to set with the dogs of my flock.
BUT now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock.
2 Yea, the strength of their hands, whereto should it profit me? men in whom ripe age is perished.
Yea, whereto might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom old age was perished?
3 They are gaunt with want and famine; they gnaw the dry ground, in the gloom of wasteness and desolation.
For want and famine they were solitary; fleeing into the wilderness in former time desolate and waste.
4 They pluck salt-wort with wormwood; and the roots of the broom are their food.
Who cut up mallows by the bushes, and juniper roots for their meat.
5 They are driven forth from the midst of men; they cry after them as after a thief.
They were driven forth from among men, (they cried after them as after a thief; )
6 In the clefts of the valleys must they dwell, in holes of the earth and of the rocks.
To dwell in the clifts of the valleys, in caves of the earth, and in the rocks.
7 Among the bushes they bray; under the nettles they are gathered together.
Among the bushes they brayed; under the nettles they were gathered together.
8 They are children of churls, yea, children of ignoble men; they were scourged out of the land.
They were children of fools, yea, children of base men: they were viler than the earth.
9 And now I am become their song, yea, I am a byword unto them.
And now am I their song, yea, I am their byword.
10 They abhor me, they flee far from me, and spare not to spit in my face.
They abhor me, they flee far from me, and spare not to spit in my face.
11 For He hath loosed my cord, and afflicted me, and they have cast off the bridle before me.
Because he hath loosed my cord, and afflicted me, they have also let loose the bridle before me.
12 Upon my right hand rise the brood; they entangle my feet, and they cast up against me their ways of destruction.
Upon my right hand rise the youth; they push away my feet, and they raise up against me the ways of their destruction.
13 They break up my path, they further my calamity, even men that have no helper.
They mar my path, they set forward my calamity, they have no helper.
14 As through a wide breach they come; in the midst of the ruin they roll themselves upon me.
They came upon me as a wide breaking in of waters: in the desolation they rolled themselves upon me.
15 Terrors are turned upon me, they chase mine honour as the wind; and my welfare is passed away as a cloud.
Terrors are turned upon me: they pursue my soul as the wind: and my welfare passeth away as a cloud.
16 And now my soul is poured out within me; days of affliction have taken hold upon me.
And now my soul is poured out upon me; the days of affliction have taken hold upon me.
17 In the night my bones are pierced, and fall from me, and my sinews take no rest.
My bones are pierced in me in the night season: and my sinews take no rest.
18 By the great force of my disease is my garment disfigured; it bindeth me about as the collar of my coat.
By the great force of my disease is my garment changed: it bindeth me about as the collar of my coat.
19 He hath cast me into the mire, and I am become like dust and ashes.
He hath cast me into the mire, and I am become like dust and ashes.
20 I cry unto Thee, and Thou dost not answer me; I stand up, and Thou lookest at me.
I cry unto thee, and thou dost not hear me: I stand up, and thou regardest me not.
21 Thou art turned to be cruel to me; with the might of Thy hand Thou hatest me.
Thou art become cruel to me: with thy strong hand thou opposest thyself against me.
22 Thou liftest me up to the wind, Thou causest me to ride upon it; and Thou dissolvest my substance.
Thou liftest me up to the wind; thou causest me to ride upon it, and dissolvest my substance.
23 For I know that Thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living.
For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living.
24 Surely none shall put forth his hand to a ruinous heap, neither because of these things shall help come in one's calamity,
Howbeit he will not stretch out his hand to the grave, though they cry in his destruction.
25 If I have not wept for him that was in trouble, and if my soul grieved not for the needy.
Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? was not my soul grieved for the poor?
26 Yet, when I looked for good, there came evil; and when I waited for light, there came darkness.
When I looked for good, then evil came unto me: and when I waited for light, there came darkness.
27 Mine inwards boil, and rest not; days of affliction are come upon me.
My bowels boiled, and rested not: the days of affliction prevented me.
28 I go mourning without the sun; I stand up in the assembly, and cry for help.
I went mourning without the sun: I stood up, and I cried in the congregation.
29 I am become a brother to jackals, and a companion to ostriches.
I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls.
30 My skin is black, and falleth from me, and my bones are burned with heat.
My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned with heat.
31 Therefore is my harp turned to mourning, and my pipe into the voice of them that weep.
My harp also is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of them that weep.

< Job 30 >