Job 30 · Verse 31

Job 30:31

My harp also is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of them that weep.
Job 30:31, King James Version

Job 30:31 in other translations

BSBMy harp is tuned to mourning and my flute to the sound of weeping.
WEBTherefore my harp has turned to mourning, and my pipe into the voice of those who weep.
ASVTherefore is my harp turned to mourning, And my pipe into the voice of them that weep.
YLTAnd my harp doth become mourning, And my organ the sound of weeping.
DARBYMy harp also is turned to mourning, and my pipe into the voice of weepers.
BBEAnd my music has been turned to sorrow, and the sound of my pipe into the noise of weeping.
WebsterMy harp also is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of them that weep.

What does Job 30:31 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
31. organ--rather, "pipe" (Job 21:12). "My joy is turned into the voice of weeping" (La 5:15). These instruments are properly appropriated to joy (Is 30:29, 32), which makes their use now in sorrow the sadder by contrast.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 31 My harp also is turned to mourning - Instead of the harp, my only music is my own plaintive cries. And my organ - What the עגב uggab was, we know not; it was most probably some sort of pipe or wind instrument. His harp, כנור kinnor, and his pipe, עגב uggab, were equally mute, or only used for mournful ditties. This chapter is full of the most painful and pathetic sorrow; but nevertheless tempered with a calmness and humiliation of spirit, which did not appear in Job's lamentations previously to the time in which he had that remarkable revelation mentioned in the nineteenth chapter. (Job 19:25) After he was assured that his Redeemer was the living God, he submitted to his dispensations, kissed the rod, and mourned not without hope, though in deep distress, occasioned by his unremitting sufferings. If the groaning of Job was great, his stroke was certainly heavy.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 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…

Read the full comment on Job 30:15-31 →

Job 30:31 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיְהִ֣יvay.Hiand it has becomeH1961
לְ֭אֵבֶלLe.'e.vel<into> mourningH60
כִּנֹּרִ֑יki.no.Riharp myH3658
וְ֝עֻגָבִ֗יve.'u.ga.Viand flute myH5748
לְק֣וֹלle.Kol<into> [the] sound ofH6963
בֹּכִֽים\׃bo.KhimweepersH1058

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Job 30:31

  • Lamentations 5:15

    The joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into mourning.

  • Isaiah 21:4

    My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me.

  • Isaiah 22:12

    And in that day did the Lord God of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth:

  • Isaiah 24:7-9

    The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merryhearted do sigh. The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth. They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it.

  • Ecclesiastes 3:4

    A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

  • Psalms 137:1-4

    By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?

  • Daniel 6:18

    Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Ps 137:1-4; Ec 3:4; Isa 21:4; 22:12; 24:7-9; La 5:15; Da 6:18

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Job 30:30

    My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned with heat.

  • Job 30:31

    My harp also is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of them that weep.

Read all of Job 30

Job 30:31 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y hase tornado mi arpa en luto, y mi órgano en voz de lamentadores.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et ma harpe est changée en deuil, et mon chalumeau est devenu la voix des pleureurs.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und so ist meine Laute zur Trauerklage geworden, und meine Schalmei zur Stimme der Weinenden.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Versa est in luctum cithara mea, et organum meum in vocem flentium.