Job 30:31 Meaning and Explanation
“My harp also is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of them that weep.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Job's music has turned to grief: his harp now plays mourning, and his pipe sounds the voice of weeping.
What Does Job 30:31 Mean?
Job ends the chapter on a note of silenced joy. His "harp," once an instrument of gladness, is "turned to mourning," and his "organ," his pipe or flute, now sounds only "the voice of them that weep." The very instruments that once made melody have become voices of grief. The chapter that began with mockery closes with a dirge.
There is a deep sorrow in joy turned to lament, in music that can now only weep. Yet the image carries a hidden promise within it, for if the harp of joy can turn to mourning, the God of all comfort can turn mourning back to joy. He promises to give his people the oil of gladness for mourning and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. The dirge is not the final song; in God's hands the weeping harp will yet be tuned again to praise.
Job 30:31 in the Original Language
kinnor (כִּנּוֹר), 'harp' -- the lyre of celebration and praise, here silenced into mourning.
Frequently Asked Questions About Job 30:31
What does Job 30:31 mean?
Job's music has turned to grief: his harp now plays mourning, and his pipe sounds the voice of weeping.