Job 30
1 “But now men who are younger than I am make fun of me— men whose fathers I greatly despised, with the result that I would not even have allowed them to help my dogs guard my sheep.
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.
2 They were men who were old and (weak/worn out); so (what could I gain from them working for me?/I would have gained nothing from them working for me.) [RHQ]
Yea, what possible use can the strength of their hands be unto me, over whom old age hath passed fruitlessly?
3 They were very poor and hungry, with the result that they chewed on roots [at night] in dry and desolate places.
Who suffer for want and famine in solitude; who flee into the wilderness [where all is] darkness, ruin, and desolation;
4 They pulled up plants in the desert [and ate them] and warmed themselves by [burning] the roots of broom trees.
Who crop off mallows by the bushes, and have broom-bush roots as their bread;
5 Everyone shouted at them as though they were thieves and expelled them [from their areas].
Who are driven forth from among [men], who are shouted after as though they were thieves,
6 They were forced to live in caves in the hills, in holes in the ground, and in the sides of cliffs.
To dwell in the caverns of the valleys, in holes of the earth, and on naked cliffs.
7 In the bushes they howled [like animals because they were hungry], and they huddled together under thornbushes.
Among the bushes they shriek; under briers they are huddled together,
8 They were people without good sense, whose names no one knows; they have been expelled from the land [where they were born].
The children of the worthless, yea, the children of the nameless, who were outcasts from the land.
9 “And now their [children] sing songs to make fun of me. They tell jokes about me.
But now I am become their song, and I am become a byword unto them.
10 They are disgusted with me, and they [usually] stay away from me, [but when they see me, ] they are happy to spit in my face.
They loathe me, they keep themselves far from me, and from my face they withhold not their spittle.
11 Because [it is as though] [MET] God has cut my bowstring, [he has caused me to be unable to defend myself, ] and he has humbled me, and my enemies have done to me whatever they wanted.
Because he hath loosened the cord of my bow, and afflicted me, they have also cast off the bridle before me.
12 (Gangs/Groups of violent youths) attack me and force me to run away; they prepare to destroy me.
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.
13 They prevent me from escaping, and they [do] not [need] anyone to help them (OR, there is no one to help me).
They destroy my footpath, they help forward my downfall, without any one to aid them.
14 [It is as though I am a city wall and] [SIM] they have broken through the wall, and they have come crashing down on me.
As [through] a broad breach they come: amidst a loud noise they rolled themselves along.
15 I am very terrified; My dignity/honor has been taken away as though [SIM] [it has been] blown away by the wind, and my prosperity has disappeared like [SIM] clouds disappear.
Terrors have turned their face against me; they chase like the wind my glory: and like a cloud is my happiness passed away.
16 “And now I [SYN] am about to die [IDM]; I suffer every day.
And now my soul is poured out over me; the days of affliction have seized on me;
17 My bones ache during the night, and the pain that torments me never stops.
All night it holloweth out my bones out of my body; and my pursuers take no rest.
18 [It is as though God] seizes my clothes and chokes me with the collar of my coat.
Through the Almlghty's power is my garment made unknown: like the opening of my coat hath he enclosed me.
19 He has thrown me into the mud; I am [not worth anything more than] dust and ashes.
He hath cast me into the mire, and I am become like dust and ashes.
20 “I cry out to God, but he does not answer/help me; I stand up [and pray], but he does not pay any attention.
I cry aloud unto thee, but thou answerest me not: I stand up, and thou fixest thy regard against me.
21 He acts very cruelly toward me; with all of his power [MTY] he causes me to suffer.
Thou art changed into a cruel master toward me: with the strength of thy hand thou assailest me.
22 He [allows] the wind to lift me up and blow me away, and he tosses me up and down in a violent storm.
Thou liftest me up to the wind; thou causest me to pass away, and dissolvest in me all wise counsel.
23 I know that he will cause me to die, which is what happens to everyone [MTY] who is alive.
For I know that thou wilt bring me back to death, and to the house of assembly for all the living.
24 “When people experience disasters, and they sit on a pile of ruins and cry out for help, others surely [RHQ] reach out their hand to help them.
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?
25 [That is what I did previously]. I wept for people who were experiencing troubles, and I felt sorry for poor/needy people.
Did I not weep for him that was hard pressed by misfortune? was not my soul grieved for the needy?
26 But when I expected good things [to happen to me], evil things happened; when I waited for light/happiness, all I experienced was darkness/unhappiness [MET].
That I hoped for good, but there came evil; and I waited for light, and there came darkness!
27 I am very distressed [IDM], all the time; I suffer every day.
My bowels heave, and rest not: the days of affliction have overcome me.
28 I go about very discouraged; I stand up and plead for people to help me.
I walk about mournfully without sunlight: when I rise up, in the assembly, I cry with pain.
29 My wailing sounds as sad as [MET] the cries of jackals/foxes and ostriches.
I am a brother to [howling] monsters, and a companion to ostriches.
30 My skin has become dark/black and is peeling off, and I have a fever [which causes my body to feel like it is] burning.
My skin hangeth down black from me, and my bones are burnt from heat.
31 Previously, I played joyful music on my harp and with my flute, but now I play only the sad music of those who mourn.”
And thus is changed to mourning my harp, and my pipe to the sound of weeping.
