Chapter 30
Job’s Honor Turned to Contempt
1
[“]But now they mock me…, men younger than I am,… whose fathers I would have refused to put with my sheep dogs.
𐤅𐤏𐤕𐤄 𐤔𐤇𐤒𐤅 𐤏𐤋𐤉 𐤑𐤏𐤉𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤌𐤌𐤍𐤉 𐤋𐤉𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤀𐤁𐤅𐤕𐤌 𐤌𐤀𐤎𐤕𐤉 𐤋𐤔𐤉𐤕 𐤏𐤌 𐤑𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤊𐤋𐤁𐤉
וְעַתָּ֤ה׀ שָֽׂחֲק֣וּ עָלַי֮ צְעִירִ֥ים מִמֶּ֗נִּי לְיָ֫מִ֥ים אֲשֶׁר־ אֲבוֹתָ֑ם מָאַ֥סְתִּי לָ֝שִׁ֗ית עִם־ צֹאנִֽי׃ כַּלְבֵ֥י wə·‘at·tāh śā·ḥă·qū ‘ā·lay ṣə·‘î·rîm mim·men·nî lə·yā·mîm ’ă·šer- ’ă·ḇō·w·ṯām mā·’as·tî lā·šîṯ ‘im- ṣō·nî kal·ḇê — WLC · 1
2
- What use to me… was the strength of their hands, since their vigor had left them?
𐤂𐤌 𐤋𐤌𐤄 𐤋𐤉 𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤌𐤅 𐤊𐤇 𐤉𐤃𐤉𐤄𐤌 𐤊𐤋𐤇 𐤀𐤁𐤃
גַּם־ לָ֣מָּה לִּ֑י עָ֝לֵ֗ימוֹ כֹּ֣חַ יְ֭דֵיהֶם כָּֽלַח׃ אָ֣בַד gam- lām·māh lî ‘ā·lê·mōw kō·aḥ yə·ḏê·hem kā·laḥ ’ā·ḇaḏ — WLC · 2
3
Gaunt from poverty and hunger, they gnawed the dry land, and the desolate wasteland by night.
𐤂𐤋𐤌𐤅𐤃 𐤁𐤇𐤎𐤓 𐤅𐤁𐤊𐤐𐤍 𐤄𐤏𐤓𐤒𐤉𐤌 𐤑𐤉𐤄 𐤔𐤅𐤀𐤄 𐤅𐤌𐤔𐤀𐤄 𐤀𐤌𐤔
גַּ֫לְמ֥וּד בְּחֶ֥סֶר וּבְכָפָ֗ן הַֽעֹרְקִ֥ים צִיָּ֑ה שׁוֹאָ֥ה וּמְשֹׁאָֽה׃ אֶ֝֗מֶשׁ gal·mūḏ bə·ḥe·ser ū·ḇə·ḵā·p̄ān ha·‘ō·rə·qîm ṣî·yāh šō·w·’āh ū·mə·šō·’āh ’e·meš — WLC · 3
4
They plucked mallow among the shrubs, and the roots of the broom tree were their food.
𐤄𐤒𐤈𐤐𐤉𐤌 𐤌𐤋𐤅𐤇 𐤏𐤋𐤉 𐤔𐤉𐤇 𐤅𐤔𐤓𐤔 𐤓𐤕𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤋𐤇𐤌𐤌
הַקֹּטְפִ֣ים מַלּ֣וּחַ עֲלֵי־ שִׂ֑יחַ וְשֹׁ֖רֶשׁ רְתָמִ֣ים לַחְמָֽם׃ haq·qō·ṭə·p̄îm mal·lū·aḥ ‘ă·lê- śî·aḥ wə·šō·reš rə·ṯā·mîm laḥ·mām — WLC · 4
5
They were banished from among [men], shouted at like thieves,
𐤉𐤂𐤓𐤔𐤅 𐤌𐤍 𐤂𐤅 𐤉𐤓𐤉𐤏𐤅 𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤌𐤅 𐤊𐤂𐤍𐤁
יְגֹרָ֑שׁוּ מִן־ גֵּ֥ו יָרִ֥יעוּ עָ֝לֵ֗ימוֹ כַּגַּנָּֽב׃ yə·ḡō·rā·šū min- gêw yā·rî·‘ū ‘ā·lê·mōw kag·gan·nāḇ — WLC · 5
6
so that they lived on the slopes of the wadis, among the rocks and in holes in the ground.
𐤋𐤔𐤊𐤍 𐤁𐤏𐤓𐤅𐤑 𐤍𐤇𐤋𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤊𐤐𐤉𐤌 𐤇𐤓𐤉 𐤏𐤐𐤓
לִשְׁכֹּ֑ן בַּעֲר֣וּץ נְחָלִ֣ים וְכֵפִֽים׃ חֹרֵ֖י עָפָ֣ר liš·kōn ba·‘ă·rūṣ nə·ḥā·lîm wə·ḵê·p̄îm ḥō·rê ‘ā·p̄ār — WLC · 6
7
They cried out among the shrubs and huddled beneath the nettles.
𐤉𐤍𐤄𐤒𐤅 𐤁𐤉𐤍 𐤔𐤉𐤇𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤎𐤐𐤇𐤅 𐤕𐤇𐤕 𐤇𐤓𐤅𐤋
יִנְהָ֑קוּ בֵּין־ שִׂיחִ֥ים יְסֻפָּֽחוּ׃ תַּ֖חַת חָר֣וּל yin·hā·qū bên- śî·ḥîm yə·sup·pā·ḥū ta·ḥaṯ ḥā·rūl — WLC · 7
8
A senseless and vvv nameless brood, they were driven off the land.
𐤍𐤁𐤋 𐤁𐤍𐤉 𐤂𐤌 𐤁𐤋𐤉 𐤔𐤌 𐤁𐤍𐤉 𐤍𐤊𐤀𐤅 𐤌𐤍 𐤄𐤀𐤓𐤑
נָ֭בָל בְּֽנֵי־ גַּם־ בְלִי־ שֵׁ֑ם בְּנֵ֣י נִ֝כְּא֗וּ מִן־ הָאָֽרֶץ׃ nā·ḇāl bə·nê- gam- ḇə·lî- šêm bə·nê nik·kə·’ū min- hā·’ā·reṣ — WLC · 8
9
And now vvv they mock me in song; I have become a byword among them.
𐤅𐤏𐤕𐤄 𐤄𐤉𐤉𐤕𐤉 𐤍𐤂𐤉𐤍𐤕𐤌 𐤅𐤀𐤄𐤉 𐤋𐤌𐤋𐤄 𐤋𐤄𐤌
וְ֭עַתָּה הָיִ֑יתִי נְגִינָתָ֣ם וָאֱהִ֖י לְמִלָּֽה׃ לָהֶ֣ם wə·‘at·tāh hā·yî·ṯî nə·ḡî·nā·ṯām wā·’ĕ·hî lə·mil·lāh lā·hem — WLC · 9
10
They abhor me and keep far from me; they do not hesitate to spit in my face.
𐤕𐤏𐤁𐤅𐤍𐤉 𐤓𐤇𐤒𐤅 𐤌𐤍𐤉 𐤋𐤀 𐤇𐤔𐤊𐤅 𐤓𐤒 𐤅𐤌𐤐𐤍𐤉
תִּֽ֭עֲבוּנִי רָ֣חֲקוּ מֶ֑נִּי לֹא־ חָ֥שְׂכוּ רֹֽק׃ וּ֝מִפָּנַ֗י ti·‘ă·ḇū·nî rā·ḥă·qū men·nî lō- ḥā·śə·ḵū rōq ū·mip·pā·nay — WLC · 10
11
Because God has unstrung my bow and afflicted me, they have cast off restraint in my presence.
𐤊𐤉 𐤐𐤕𐤇 𐤉𐤕𐤓𐤅 𐤅𐤉𐤏𐤍𐤍𐤉 𐤔𐤋𐤇𐤅 𐤅𐤓𐤎𐤍 𐤌𐤐𐤍𐤉
כִּֽי־ פִ֭תַּח יִתְרוֹ וַיְעַנֵּ֑נִי שִׁלֵּֽחוּ׃ וְ֝רֶ֗סֶן מִפָּנַ֥י kî- p̄it·taḥ yiṯ·rō way·‘an·nê·nî šil·lê·ḥū wə·re·sen mip·pā·nay — WLC · 11
12
The rabble arises at my right; they lay snares for my feet and build siege ramps… against me.
𐤐𐤓𐤇𐤇 𐤉𐤒𐤅𐤌𐤅 𐤏𐤋 𐤉𐤌𐤉𐤍 𐤔𐤋𐤇𐤅 𐤓𐤂𐤋𐤉 𐤅𐤉𐤎𐤋𐤅 𐤀𐤓𐤇𐤅𐤕 𐤀𐤉𐤃𐤌 𐤏𐤋𐤉
פִּרְחַ֪ח יָ֫ק֥וּמוּ עַל־ יָמִין֮ שִׁלֵּ֑חוּ רַגְלַ֥י וַיָּסֹ֥לּוּ אָרְח֥וֹת אֵידָֽם׃ עָ֝לַ֗י pir·ḥaḥ yā·qū·mū ‘al- yā·mîn šil·lê·ḥū raḡ·lay way·yā·sōl·lū ’ā·rə·ḥō·wṯ ’ê·ḏām ‘ā·lay — WLC · 12
13
They tear up my path; they profit from my destruction, with no one to restrain them.
𐤍𐤕𐤎𐤅 𐤍𐤕𐤉𐤁𐤕𐤉 𐤉𐤏𐤉𐤋𐤅 𐤋𐤄𐤅𐤕𐤉 𐤋𐤀 𐤏𐤆𐤓 𐤋𐤌𐤅
נָתְס֗וּ נְֽתִיבָ֫תִ֥י יֹעִ֑ילוּ לְהַוָּתִ֥י לֹ֖א עֹזֵ֣ר לָֽמוֹ׃ nā·ṯə·sū nə·ṯî·ḇā·ṯî yō·‘î·lū lə·haw·wā·ṯî lō ‘ō·zêr lā·mōw — WLC · 13
14
They advance as through a wide breach; through the ruins they keep rolling in.
𐤉𐤀𐤕𐤉𐤅 𐤓𐤇𐤁 𐤊𐤐𐤓𐤑 𐤕𐤇𐤕 𐤔𐤀𐤄 𐤄𐤕𐤂𐤋𐤂𐤋𐤅
יֶאֱתָ֑יוּ רָחָ֣ב כְּפֶ֣רֶץ תַּ֥חַת שֹׁ֝אָ֗ה הִתְגַּלְגָּֽלוּ׃ ye·’ĕ·ṯā·yū rā·ḥāḇ kə·p̄e·reṣ ta·ḥaṯ šō·ʾāh hiṯ·gal·gā·lū — WLC · 14
Job’s Prosperity Becomes Calamity
15
Terrors are turned loose against me; they drive away my dignity as by the wind, and my prosperity has passed like a cloud.
𐤁𐤋𐤄𐤅𐤕 𐤄𐤄𐤐𐤊 𐤏𐤋𐤉 𐤕𐤓𐤃𐤐 𐤍𐤃𐤁𐤕𐤉 𐤊𐤓𐤅𐤇 𐤉𐤔𐤏𐤕𐤉 𐤏𐤁𐤓𐤄 𐤅𐤊𐤏𐤁
בַּלָּ֫ה֥וֹת הָהְפַּ֥ךְ עָלַ֗י תִּרְדֹּ֣ף נְדִבָתִ֑י כָּ֭רוּחַ יְשֻׁעָתִֽי׃ עָבְרָ֥ה וּ֝כְעָ֗ב bal·lā·hō·wṯ hā·hə·paḵ ‘ā·lay tir·dōp̄ nə·ḏi·ḇā·ṯî kā·rū·aḥ yə·šu·‘ā·ṯî ‘ā·ḇə·rāh ū·ḵə·‘āḇ — WLC · 15
16
And now my soul is poured out within me; days of affliction grip me.
𐤅𐤏𐤕𐤄 𐤍𐤐𐤔𐤉 𐤕𐤔𐤕𐤐𐤊 𐤏𐤋𐤉 𐤉𐤌𐤉 𐤏𐤍𐤉 𐤉𐤀𐤇𐤆𐤅𐤍𐤉
וְעַתָּ֗ה נַפְשִׁ֑י תִּשְׁתַּפֵּ֣ךְ עָ֭לַי יְמֵי־ עֹֽנִי׃ יֹ֭אחֲז֣וּנִי wə·‘at·tāh nap̄·šî tiš·tap·pêḵ ‘ā·lay yə·mê- ‘ō·nî yō·ḥă·zū·nî — WLC · 16
17
Night pierces… my bones, and my gnawing pains never rest.
𐤋𐤉𐤋𐤄 𐤍𐤒𐤓 𐤌𐤏𐤋𐤉 𐤏𐤑𐤌𐤉 𐤅𐤏𐤓𐤒𐤉 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤔𐤊𐤁𐤅𐤍
לַ֗יְלָה נִקַּ֣ר מֵעָלָ֑י עֲ֭צָמַי וְ֝עֹרְקַ֗י לֹ֣א יִשְׁכָּבֽוּן׃ lay·lāh niq·qar mê·‘ā·lāy ‘ă·ṣā·may wə·‘ō·rə·qay lō yiš·kā·ḇūn — WLC · 17
18
With great force He grasps my garment; He seizes me by the collar of my tunic.
𐤁𐤓𐤁 𐤊𐤇 𐤉𐤕𐤇𐤐𐤔 𐤋𐤁𐤅𐤔𐤉 𐤉𐤀𐤆𐤓𐤍𐤉 𐤊𐤐𐤉 𐤊𐤕𐤍𐤕𐤉
בְּרָב־ כֹּ֭חַ יִתְחַפֵּ֣שׂ לְבוּשִׁ֑י יַֽאַזְרֵֽנִי׃ כְּפִ֖י כֻתָּנְתִּ֣י bə·rāḇ- kō·aḥ yiṯ·ḥap·pêś lə·ḇū·šî ya·’az·rê·nî kə·p̄î ḵut·tā·nə·tî — WLC · 18
19
He throws me into the mud, and I have become like dust and ashes.
𐤄𐤓𐤍𐤉 𐤋𐤇𐤌𐤓 𐤅𐤀𐤕𐤌𐤔𐤋 𐤊𐤏𐤐𐤓 𐤅𐤀𐤐𐤓
הֹרָ֥נִי לַחֹ֑מֶר וָ֝אֶתְמַשֵּׁ֗ל כֶּעָפָ֥ר וָאֵֽפֶר׃ hō·rā·nî la·ḥō·mer wā·’eṯ·maš·šêl ke·‘ā·p̄ār wā·’ê·p̄er — WLC · 19
20
I cry out to You for help, but You do not answer; when I stand up, You merely look at me.
𐤀𐤋𐤉𐤊 𐤀𐤔𐤅𐤏 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤏𐤍𐤍𐤉 𐤏𐤌𐤃𐤕𐤉 𐤅𐤕𐤕𐤁𐤍𐤍 𐤁𐤉
אֵ֭לֶיךָ אֲשַׁוַּ֣ע וְלֹ֣א תַעֲנֵ֑נִי עָ֝מַ֗דְתִּי וַתִּתְבֹּ֥נֶן בִּֽי׃ ’ê·le·ḵā ’ă·šaw·wa‘ wə·lō ṯa·‘ă·nê·nî ‘ā·maḏ·tî wat·tiṯ·bō·nen bî — WLC · 20
21
You have ruthlessly turned on me; You oppose me with Your strong hand.
𐤕𐤄𐤐𐤊 𐤋𐤀𐤊𐤆𐤓 𐤋𐤉 𐤕𐤔𐤈𐤌𐤍𐤉 𐤁𐤏𐤑𐤌 𐤉𐤃𐤊
תֵּהָפֵ֣ךְ לְאַכְזָ֣ר לִ֑י תִשְׂטְמֵֽנִי׃ בְּעֹ֖צֶם יָדְךָ֣ tê·hā·p̄êḵ lə·’aḵ·zār lî ṯiś·ṭə·mê·nî bə·‘ō·ṣem yā·ḏə·ḵā — WLC · 21
22
You snatch me up into the wind and drive me [before it]; You toss me about in the storm.
𐤕𐤔𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤀𐤋 𐤓𐤅𐤇 𐤕𐤓𐤊𐤉𐤁𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤕𐤌𐤂𐤂𐤍𐤉 𐤕𐤔𐤅𐤄
תִּשָּׂאֵ֣נִי אֶל־ ר֭וּחַ תַּרְכִּיבֵ֑נִי וּ֝תְמֹגְגֵ֗נִי תְּשֻׁוֶּה׃ tiś·śā·’ê·nî ’el- rū·aḥ tar·kî·ḇê·nî ū·ṯə·mō·ḡə·ḡê·nî tə·šuw·wɛh — WLC · 22
23
Yes, I know that You will bring me down [to] death, to the place appointed for all the living.
𐤊𐤉 𐤉𐤃𐤏𐤕𐤉 𐤕𐤔𐤉𐤁𐤍𐤉 𐤌𐤅𐤕 𐤅𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤌𐤅𐤏𐤃 𐤋𐤊𐤋 𐤇𐤉
כִּֽי־ יָ֭דַעְתִּי תְּשִׁיבֵ֑נִי מָ֣וֶת וּבֵ֖ית מוֹעֵ֣ד לְכָל־ חָֽי׃ kî- yā·ḏa‘·tî tə·šî·ḇê·nî mā·weṯ ū·ḇêṯ mō·w·‘êḏ lə·ḵāl ḥāy — WLC · 23
24
Yet no one stretches out his hand against a ruined man when he cries for help in his distress…
𐤀𐤊 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤔𐤋𐤇 𐤉𐤃 𐤁𐤏𐤉 𐤀𐤌 𐤔𐤅𐤏 𐤁𐤐𐤉𐤃𐤅 𐤋𐤄𐤍
אַ֣ךְ לֹא־ יִשְׁלַח־ יָ֑ד בְ֭עִי אִם־ שֽׁוּעַ׃ בְּ֝פִיד֗וֹ לָהֶ֥ן ’aḵ lō- yiš·laḥ- yāḏ ḇə·‘î ’im- šū·a‘ bə·p̄î·ḏōw lā·hen — WLC · 24
25
- Have I not wept for those in trouble…? Has my soul not grieved for the needy?
𐤀𐤌 𐤋𐤀 𐤁𐤊𐤉𐤕𐤉 𐤋𐤒𐤔𐤄 𐤉𐤅𐤌 𐤍𐤐𐤔𐤉 𐤏𐤂𐤌𐤄 𐤋𐤀𐤁𐤉𐤅𐤍
אִם־ לֹ֣א בָ֭כִיתִי לִקְשֵׁה־ י֑וֹם נַ֝פְשִׁ֗י עָֽגְמָ֥ה לָאֶבְיֽוֹן׃ ’im- lō ḇā·ḵî·ṯî liq·šêh- yō·wm nap̄·šî ‘ā·ḡə·māh lā·’eḇ·yō·wn — WLC · 25
26
But when I hoped for good, evil came; when I looked for light, darkness fell.
𐤊𐤉 𐤒𐤅𐤉𐤕𐤉 𐤈𐤅𐤁 𐤓𐤏 𐤅𐤉𐤁𐤀 𐤅𐤀𐤉𐤇𐤋𐤄 𐤋𐤀𐤅𐤓 𐤀𐤐𐤋 𐤅𐤉𐤁𐤀
כִּ֤י קִ֭וִּיתִי ט֣וֹב רָ֑ע וַיָּ֣בֹא וַֽאֲיַחֲלָ֥ה לְ֝א֗וֹר אֹֽפֶל׃ וַיָּ֥בֹא kî qiw·wî·ṯî ṭō·wḇ rā‘ way·yā·ḇō wa·’ă·ya·ḥă·lāh lə·’ō·wr ’ō·p̄el way·yā·ḇō — WLC · 26
27
I am churning within and cannot rest; days of affliction confront me.
𐤓𐤕𐤇𐤅 𐤌𐤏𐤉 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤃𐤌𐤅 𐤉𐤌𐤉 𐤏𐤍𐤉 𐤒𐤃𐤌𐤍𐤉
רֻתְּח֥וּ מֵעַ֖י וְלֹא־ דָ֗מּוּ יְמֵי־ עֹֽנִי׃ קִדְּמֻ֥נִי rut·tə·ḥū mê·‘ay wə·lō- ḏām·mū yə·mê- ‘ō·nî qid·də·mu·nî — WLC · 27
28
I go about blackened, but not by the sun. I stand up in the assembly and cry for help.
𐤄𐤋𐤊𐤕𐤉 𐤒𐤃𐤓 𐤁𐤋𐤀 𐤇𐤌𐤄 𐤒𐤌𐤕𐤉 𐤁𐤒𐤄𐤋 𐤀𐤔𐤅𐤏
הִ֭לַּכְתִּי קֹדֵ֣ר בְּלֹ֣א חַמָּ֑ה קַ֖מְתִּי בַקָּהָ֣ל אֲשַׁוֵּֽעַ׃ hil·laḵ·tî qō·ḏêr bə·lō ḥam·māh qam·tî ḇaq·qā·hāl ’ă·šaw·wê·a‘ — WLC · 28
29
I have become a brother of jackals, a companion vvv of ostriches.
𐤄𐤉𐤉𐤕𐤉 𐤀𐤇 𐤋𐤕𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤓𐤏 𐤋𐤁𐤍𐤅𐤕 𐤉𐤏𐤍𐤄
הָיִ֣יתִי אָ֭ח לְתַנִּ֑ים וְ֝רֵ֗עַ לִבְנ֥וֹת יַעֲנָֽה׃ hā·yî·ṯî ’āḥ lə·ṯan·nîm wə·rê·a‘ liḇ·nō·wṯ ya·‘ă·nāh — WLC · 29
30
My skin grows black and peels…, and my bones burn with fever.
𐤏𐤅𐤓𐤉 𐤔𐤇𐤓 𐤌𐤍𐤉 𐤌𐤏𐤋𐤉 𐤅𐤏𐤑𐤌𐤉 𐤇𐤓𐤄 𐤇𐤓𐤁
ע֭וֹרִי שָׁחַ֣ר מִנִּי־ מֵעָלָ֑י וְעַצְמִי־ חָ֝֗רָה חֹֽרֶב׃ ‘ō·w·rî šā·ḥar min·nî- mê·‘ā·lāy wə·‘aṣ·mî- ḥā·rāh ḥō·reḇ — WLC · 30
31
My harp is tuned to mourning and my flute to the sound of weeping.
𐤊𐤍𐤓𐤉 𐤅𐤉𐤄𐤉 𐤋𐤀𐤁𐤋 𐤅𐤏𐤂𐤁𐤉 𐤋𐤒𐤅𐤋 𐤁𐤊𐤉𐤌
כִּנֹּרִ֑י וַיְהִ֣י לְ֭אֵבֶל וְ֝עֻגָבִ֗י לְק֣וֹל בֹּכִֽים׃ kin·nō·rî way·hî lə·’ê·ḇel wə·‘u·ḡā·ḇî lə·qō·wl bō·ḵîm — WLC · 31