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[1] 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.
15 Terrors overwhelm me; my dignity is driven away as by the wind, my safety vanishes like a cloud.
9 And now am I their song, yea, I am their byword. 10 They abhor me, they flee far from me, and spare not to spit in my face. 11 Because he hath loosed my cord, and afflicted me, they have also let loose the bridle before me. 12 Upon my right hand rise the youth; they push away my feet, and they raise up against me the ways of their destruction. 13 They mar my path, they set forward my calamity, they have no helper. 14 They came upon me as a wide breaking in of waters: in the desolation they rolled themselves upon me.
15 Terrors are turned upon me: they pursue my soul
9 "And now I have become their song; I am a byword to them. 10 They abhor me; they keep aloof from me; they do not hesitate to spit at the sight of me. 11 Because God has loosed my cord and humbled me, they have cast off restraint
15 Terrors are turned upon me; my honor is pursued as by the wind, and my prosperity has passed away like a cloud.
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.
15 Terrors assault me - my dignity in shreds, salvation up in smoke.
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.
15 Terrors are turned upon me; They pursue my honor as the wind, And my prosperity has passed like a cloud.
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.
15 I live in terror now. My honor has blown away in the wind, and my prosperity has vanished like a cloud.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Job 30:9-15
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.
Commentary on Job 30:15-31
(Read Job 30:15-31)
Job complains a great deal. Harbouring hard thoughts of God was the sin which did, at this time, most easily beset Job. When inward temptations join with outward calamities, the soul is hurried as in a tempest, and is filled with confusion. But woe be to those who really have God for an enemy! Compared with the awful state of ungodly men, what are all outward, or even inward temporal afflictions? There is something with which Job comforts himself, yet it is but a little. He foresees that death will be the end of all his troubles. God's wrath might bring him to death; but his soul would be safe and happy in the world of spirits. If none pity us, yet our God, who corrects, pities us, even as a father pitieth his own children. And let us look more to the things of eternity: then the believer will cease from mourning, and joyfully praise redeeming love.