Joba 17
1 “Ka mueihla he pat tih ka khohnin loh khum coeng, kai hamla phuel om coeng.
“My (life/time to live) is almost ended; I have no strength left; my grave is waiting for me.
2 Ka taengah a omsasaipat pai moenih a? Te dongah amih koek ham khaw ka mik ah rhaeh pai saeh.
Those who are around me are making fun of me; I [SYN] watch them while they (taunt/make fun of) me.”
3 Kai kah rhikhang he namah hamla khueh laeh. Anih te ulong ka kut dongla a khoom eh?
“God, [it is as though I am in prison; ] please pay the money in order that I may be released, because there is certainly no one else who will help me.
4 Amih kah lungbuei te lungmingnah lamloh na khoem pah coeng. Te dongah na pomsang sak mahpawh.
You have prevented my friends from understanding [what is true about me]; do not allow them to triumph over me, [saying that I have done things that are wrong].
5 Khoyo la a hui a phoe vaengah a ca rhoek mik tah hma coeng.
[Our ancestors often said, ‘It often happens that] when someone betrays his friends in order to get some of their property, it is that person’s children who will be punished for it;’ [so I desire/hope that will be true of these friends of mine who are lying about me].
6 Kai he pilnam kah a thuidoek la n'khueh tih, maelhmai dongkah timthoihnah la ka om.
“But now people use that saying of our ancestors when they talk about me; they spit in my face [to insult me].
7 Ka mik he konoinah neh hmang coeng tih ka pumrho he khokhawn bangla boeih om.
(My sight has become dim/I cannot see well) because I am extremely sad, and my arms and legs are [very thin, with the result that they almost do not cast] [MET] a shadow.
8 Te dongah aka thuem khaw a pong sak tih lailak taengah ommongsitoe a haenghang sak.
Those who [say that they] are good/righteous are shocked [when they see what has happened to me], and people who [say that they] (are innocent/have not done anything that is wrong) say that I am wicked/godless and should be punished.
9 Tedae aka dueng loh amah longpuei te a tuuk vetih, a kut cim khaw a thaa sai ni.
Those who [claim that they] are righteous will continue to do what [they think] is right, and those [who say] they have not sinned will continue to become stronger.
10 Amih te boeih na mael sak uh coeng. Na pawk uh to cakhaw nangmih ah hlangcueih ka hmu mahpawh.
“But even if all of those people came [and stood in front of me], I would not find anyone among them who is wise.
11 Ka khohnin loh thok coeng. Ka thinko kah kohnek la ka poeknah mawth coeng.
My (life/time to live) is almost ended; I have not been able to do the things that I confidently expected to do; [I have not been able to accomplish] anything that I [SYN] desired.
12 Khoyin te khothaih la a khueh tih, a hmuep tom te vangnah neh a yoei sak.
My friends do not know when it is night and when it is day; when it is night, they claim that it is daylight; when it is becoming dark, they claim it is becoming light.
If my home will be the place where dead people are, where will I sleep in the darkness? (Sheol h7585)
14 Vaam taengah, ‘A pa nang,’ ka ti nah tih a rhit taengah, ‘A nu neh ka ngannu,’ ka ti nah coeng.
I may say to the grave, ‘You will be [like] a father to me,’ and say to the maggots [that will eat my body], ‘You will be [like] a mother or younger sisters to me [because you will be where I will always be].’
15 Te dongah menim ka ngaiuepnah tih, ka ngaiuepnah he unim aka mae?
But if I say those things, (will there be anything good that I can confidently expect to happen to me?/there will be nothing good that I can confidently expect to happen to me.) [RHQ] (Is there anyone who knows anything good that I can expect when I am in the grave?/No one knows anything good that I can expect when I am in the grave.) [RHQ]
After I descend to the place where the dead are, (will I be able to confidently expect anything good there?/I certainly will not be able to confidently expect anything good there.) [RHQ] [It will be as though] [RHQ] I and the things I hope for will descend with me into the dust [where the dead are].” (Sheol h7585)
