301 "But now they mock me, men younger than I, whose fathers I would have disdained to put with my sheep dogs. 2 Of what use was the strength of their hands to me, since their vigor had gone from them? 3 Haggard from want and hunger, they roamed[1] the parched land in desolate wastelands at night. 4 In the brush they gathered salt herbs, and their food[2] was the root of the broom bush. 5 They were banished from human society, shouted at as if they were thieves. 6 They were forced to live in the dry stream beds, among the rocks and in holes in the ground. 7 They brayed among the bushes and huddled in the undergrowth. 8 A base and nameless brood, they were driven out of the land. 9 "And now those young men mock me in song; I have become a byword among them. 10 They detest me and keep their distance; they do not hesitate to spit in my face. 11 Now that God has unstrung my bow and afflicted me, they throw off restraint in my presence. 12 On my right the tribe[3] attacks; they lay snares for my feet, they build their siege ramps against me. 13 They break up my road; they succeed in destroying me. 'No one can help him,' they say. 14 They advance as through a gaping breach; amid the ruins they come rolling in.
301 But now they that are younger
301 "But now they laugh at me, men who are younger than I, whose fathers I would have disdained to set with the dogs of my flock. 2 What could I gain from the strength of their hands, men whose vigor is gone? 3 Through want and hard hunger they gnaw the dry ground by night in waste and desolation; 4 they pick saltwort and the leaves of bushes, and the roots of the broom tree for their food.
301 "But no longer. Now I'm the butt of their jokes - young ruffians! whippersnappers! 2 Why, I considered their fathers mere inexperienced pups. But they are worse than dogs - good for nothing, stray, mangy animals, 3 Half-starved, scavenging the back alleys, howling at the moon; 4 Homeless guttersnipes chewing on old bones and licking old tin cans; 5 Outcasts from the community, cursed as dangerous delinquents. 6 Nobody would put up with them; they were driven from the neighborhood. 7 You could hear them out there at the edge of town, yelping and barking, huddled in junkyards, 8 A gang of beggars and no-names, thrown out on their ears. 9 "But now I'm the one they're after, mistreating me, taunting and mocking. 10 They abhor me, they abuse me. How dare those scoundrels - they spit in my face! 11 Now that God has undone me and left me in a heap, they hold nothing back. Anything goes. 12 They come at me from my blind side, trip me up, then jump on me while I'm down. 13 They throw every kind of obstacle in my path, determined to ruin me - and no one lifts a finger to help me! 14 They violate my broken body, trample through the rubble of my ruined life.
301 "But now they mock at me, men younger than I, Whose fathers I disdained to put with the dogs of my flock. 2 Indeed, what profit is the strength of their hands to me? Their vigor has perished. 3 They are gaunt from want and famine, Fleeing late to the wilderness, desolate and waste, 4 Who pluck mallow by the bushes, And broom tree roots for their food. 5 They were driven out from among men, They shouted at them as at a thief. 6 They had to live in the clefts of the valleys, In caves of the earth and the rocks. 7 Among the bushes they brayed, Under the nettles they nestled. 8 They were sons of fools, Yes, sons of vile men; They were scourged from the land. 9 "And now I am their taunting song; Yes, I am their byword. 10 They abhor me, they keep far from me; They do not hesitate to spit in my face. 11 Because He has loosed my bowstring and afflicted me, They have cast off restraint before me. 12 At my right hand the rabble arises; They push away my feet, And they raise against me their ways of destruction. 13 They break up my path, They promote my calamity; They have no helper. 14 They come as broad breakers; Under the ruinous storm they roll along.
301 "But now I am mocked by people younger than I, by young men whose fathers are not worthy to run with my sheepdogs. 2 A lot of good they are to me- those worn-out wretches! 3 They are gaunt from poverty and hunger. They claw the dry ground in desolate wastelands. 4 They pluck wild greens from among the bushes and eat from the roots of broom trees. 5 They are driven from human society, and people shout at them as if they were thieves. 6 So now they live in frightening ravines, in caves and among the rocks. 7 They sound like animals howling among the bushes, huddled together beneath the nettles. 8 They are nameless fools, outcasts from society. 9 "And now they mock me with vulgar songs! They taunt me! 10 They despise me and won't come near me, except to spit in my face. 11 For God has cut my bowstring. He has humbled me, so they have thrown off all restraint. 12 These outcasts oppose me to my face. They send me sprawling and lay traps in my path. 13 They block my road and do everything they can to destroy me. They know I have no one to help me. 14 They come at me from all directions. They jump on me when I am down.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Job 30:1-14
Commentary on Job 30:1-14
(Read Job 30:1-14)
Job contrasts his present condition with his former honour and authority. What little cause have men to be ambitious or proud of that which may be so easily lost, and what little confidence is to be put in it! We should not be cast down if we are despised, reviled, and hated by wicked men. We should look to Jesus, who endured the contradiction of sinners.