< Job 17 >
1 “My spirit is consumed. My days are extinct and the grave is ready for me.
My spirit is consumed, my days are extinct, the grave is ready for me.
2 Surely there are mockers with me. My eye dwells on their provocation.
Surely there are mockers with me, and my eye dwells upon their provocation.
3 “Now give a pledge. Be collateral for me with yourself. Who is there who will strike hands with me?
Give now a pledge, be surety for me with thyself. Who is there that will strike hands with me?
4 For you have hidden their heart from understanding, therefore you will not exalt them.
For thou have hid their heart from understanding. Therefore thou shall not exalt them.
5 He who denounces his friends for plunder, even the eyes of his children will fail.
He who denounces his friends for a prey, even the eyes of his sons shall fail.
6 “But he has made me a byword of the people. They spit in my face.
But he has made me a byword of the people, and they spit in my face.
7 My eye also is dim by reason of sorrow. All my members are as a shadow.
My eye also is dim because of sorrow, and all my members are as a shadow.
8 Upright men will be astonished at this. The innocent will stir himself up against the godless.
Upright men shall be astonished at this, and the innocent shall stir himself up against the profane.
9 Yet the righteous will hold to his way. He who has clean hands will grow stronger and stronger.
Yet the righteous shall hold on his way. And he who has clean hands shall grow stronger and stronger.
10 But as for you all, come back. I will not find a wise man among you.
But as for you all, come on now again, and I shall not find a wise man among you.
11 My days are past. My plans are broken off, as are the thoughts of my heart.
My days are past. My purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart.
12 They change the night into day, saying ‘The light is near’ in the presence of darkness.
They change the night into day. The light, they say, is near to the darkness.
13 If I look for Sheol (Sheol ) as my house, if I have spread my couch in the darkness,
If I look for Sheol as my house, if I have spread my couch in the darkness, (Sheol )
14 if I have said to corruption, ‘You are my father,’ and to the worm, ‘My mother,’ and ‘My sister,’
if I have said to corruption, Thou are my father, to the worm, My mother, and my sister,
15 where then is my hope? As for my hope, who will see it?
where then is my hope? And as for my hope, who shall see it?
16 Shall it go down with me to the gates of Sheol (Sheol ), or descend together into the dust?"
It shall go down to the bars of Sheol when once there is rest in the dust. (Sheol )