Job 17
1 My spirit is broken, my days are cut short, the grave is ready for me.
My spirit is consumed, and my days are over; the grave is ready for me.
2 Yet truly those that mock are with me, and on their offendings must my eye rest.
Surely there are mockers with me; my eye must always see their provocation.
3 And thou, [Creator!] attend, I pray thee, be my surety with thyself: who else is there that would strike hands with me?
Give now a pledge, be a guarantee for me with yourself; who else is there who will help me?
4 For thou hast concealed their heart against intelligence: therefore art thou not exalted [through them].
For you, God, have kept their hearts from understanding; therefore, you will not exalt them over me.
5 Every one of them speaketh deceptively to his friends: may also the eyes of his children fail.
He who denounces his friends for a reward, the eyes of his children will fail.
6 And he hath placed me here as a by-word unto nations; and I become openly as a place of abomination.
But he has made me a byword of the people; they spit in my face.
7 Therefore is my eye dim from vexation, and my limbs are all of them like a shadow.
My eye is also dim because of sorrow; all my body parts are as thin as shadows.
8 Upright men must be astonished at this, and the innocent must arouse himself against the hypocrite.
Upright men will be stunned by this; the innocent man will stir himself up against godless men.
9 Yet will the righteous hold firmly on to his way; and he that is clean of hands will acquire additional strength.
The righteous man will keep to his way; he who has clean hands will grow stronger and stronger.
10 But all of you, do only return, and come but [to me]: and yet I shall not find among you one wise man.
But as for you all, come on now; I will not find a wise man among you.
11 My days are past, my resolves are broken off, [even the thoughts]—the possessions of my heart.
My days are past; my plans are shattered, and so are the desires of my heart.
12 These would change the night into day, the light as near in the presence of darkness.—
These people, these mockers, change the night into day; light is near to darkness.
13 When I hope for the nether world as my house; in the darkness have I spread my couch; (Sheol h7585)
If the only home I hope for is Sheol; and if I have spread my couch in the darkness; (Sheol h7585)
14 When I call to corruption, Thou art my father: Thou art my mother, and my sister, to the worms.
and if I have said to the pit, 'You are my father,' and to the worm, 'You are my mother or my sister,'
15 Ay, where is then my hope? as for my hope, who will see it [fulfilled]?
where then is my hope? As for my hope, who can see any?
