Saltar a la lectura
Job 30
Job
Home
›
Books of the Bible
›
Job
›
Chapter 30
b. His present misery
1
And now I am the laughing-stock of my juniors, the young people, whose fathers I did not consider fit to put with the dogs that looked after my flock.
2
The strength of their hands would have been useless to me, enfeebled as they were, worn out by want and hunger.
3
They used to gnaw the roots, of desert plants, and brambles from abandoned ruins;
4
and plucked mallow, and brushwood leaves, making their meals off roots of broom.
5
Outlawed from the society of men, who, as against thieves, raised hue and cry against them,
6
they made their dwellings on ravines’ steep sides, in caves or clefts in the rock.
7
You could hear them wailing from the bushes, as they huddled together in the thistles.
8
Their children are as worthless a brood as they were, nameless people, outcasts of society.
9
And these are the ones that now sing ballads about me, and make me the talk of the town!
10
To them I am loathsome, they stand aloof from me, do not scruple to spit in my face.
11
Because he has unbent my bow and chastened me they cast the bridle from their mouth.
12
That brood of theirs rises to right of me, stones are their weapons, and they take threatening strides towards me.
13
They have cut me off from all escape, there is no one to check their attack.
14
They move in, as though through a wide breach, and I am crushed beneath the rubble.
15
Terrors turn to meet me, my confidence is blown away as if by the wind; my hope of safety passes like a cloud.
16
And now the life in me trickles away, days of grief have gripped me.
17
At night-time, sickness saps my bones, I am gnawed by wounds that never sleep.
18
With immense power it has caught me by the clothes, clutching at the collar of my coat.
19
It has thrown me into the mud where I am no better than dust and ashes.
20
I cry to you, and you give me no answer; I stand before you, but you take no notice.
21
You have grown cruel in your dealings with me, your hand lies on me, heavy and hostile.
22
You carry me up to ride the wind, tossing me about in a tempest.
23
I know it is to death that you are taking me, the common meeting place of all that lives.
24
Yet have I ever laid a hand on the poor when they cried out for justice in calamity?
25
Have I not wept for all whose life is hard, felt pity for the penniless?
26
I hoped for happiness, but sorrow came; I looked for light, but there was darkness.
27
My stomach seethes, is never still, for every day brings further suffering.
28
Sombre I go, yet no one comforts me, and if I rise in the council, I rise to weep.
29
I have become the jackal’s brother and the ostrich’s companion
30
My skin has turned black on me, my bones are burnt with fever.
31
My harp is tuned to funeral wails, my flute to the voice of mourners.
Chapters of Job
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
Home
Search
Readings
Settings