Job Continues
Young People Now Insult Me
1 Young people now insult me,
although their fathers
would have been a disgrace
to my sheep dogs.
2 And those who insult me
are helpless themselves.
3 They must claw the desert sand
in the dark for something
to satisfy their hunger.
4 They gather tasteless shrubs
for food and firewood,
5 and they are run out of towns,
as though they were thieves.
6 Their only homes are ditches
or holes between rocks,
7 where they bray like donkeys
gathering around shrubs.
8 And like senseless donkeys
they are chased away.
Those Worthless Nobodies
9 Those worthless nobodies
make up jokes and songs
to disgrace me.
10 They are hateful
and keep their distance,
even while spitting
in my direction.
11 God has destroyed me,
and so they don't care
what they do.
12 Their attacks never stop,
though I am defenseless,
and my feet are trapped.
13 Without any help,
they prevent my escape,
destroying me completely
14 and leaving me crushed.
15 Terror has me surrounded;
my reputation and my riches
have vanished like a cloud.
I Am Sick at Heart
16 I am sick at heart!
Pain has taken its toll.
17 Night chews on my bones,
causing endless torment,
18 and God has shrunk my skin,
choking me to death.
19 I have been thrown in the dirt
and now am dirt myself.
20 I beg God for help,
but there is no answer;
and when I stand up,
he simply stares.
21 God has turned brutal,
22 stirring up a windstorm
to toss me about.
23 Soon he will send me home
to the world of the dead,
where we all must go.
24 No one refuses help to others,
when disaster strikes.
25 I mourned for the poor
and those who suffered.
26 But when I beg for relief
and light,
all I receive are disaster
and darkness.
27 My stomach is tied in knots;
pain is my daily companion.
28 My days are dark and gloomy
and in the city council
I stand and cry out,
29 making mournful sounds
like jackals and owls.
30 My skin is so parched,
that it peels right off,
and my bones are burning.
31 My only songs are sorrow
and sadness.
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. 2 For whereto shoulde the strength of their handes haue serued mee, seeing age perished in them? 3 For pouertie and famine they were solitary, fleeing into the wildernes, which is darke, desolate and waste. 4 They cut vp nettels by the bushes, and the iuniper rootes was their meate. 5 They were chased forth from among men: they shouted at them, as at a theefe. 6 Therfore they dwelt in the clefts of riuers, in the holes of the earth and rockes. 7 They roared among the bushes, and vnder the thistles they gathered themselues. 8 They were the children of fooles and the children of villaines, which were more vile then the earth. 9 And now am I their song, and I am their talke. 10 They abhorre me, and flee farre from mee, and 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. 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. 13 They haue destroyed my paths: they tooke pleasure at my calamitie, they had none helpe. 14 They came as a great breach of waters, and vnder this calamitie they come on heapes. 15 Feare is turned vpon mee: and they pursue my soule as the winde, and mine health passeth away as a cloude. 16 Therefore my soule is nowe powred out vpon me, and the dayes of affliction haue taken holde on me. 17 It pearceth my bones in the night, and my sinewes take no rest. 18 For the great vehemencie is my garment changed, which compasseth me about as the colar of my coate. 19 He hath cast me into the myre, and I am become like ashes and dust. 20 Whe I cry vnto thee, thou doest not heare me, neither regardest me, when I stand vp. 21 Thou turnest thy selfe cruelly against me, and art enemie vnto mee with the strength of thine hand. 22 Thou takest me vp and causest mee to ride vpon the winde, and makest my strength to faile. 23 Surely I knowe that thou wilt bring mee to death, and to the house appoynted for all the liuing. 24 Doubtles none can stretch his hand vnto the graue, though they cry in his destruction. 25 Did not I weepe with him that was in trouble? was not my soule in heauinesse for the poore? 26 Yet when I looked for good, euill came vnto me: and when I waited for light, there came darkenesse. 27 My bowels did boyle without rest: for the dayes of affliction are come vpon me. 28 I went mourning without sunne: I stood vp in the congregation and cryed. 29 I am a brother to the dragons, and a companion to the ostriches. 30 My skinne is blacke vpon me, and my bones are burnt with heate. 31 Therefore mine harpe is turned to mourning, and mine organs into the voyce of them that weepe.