Job 17
1 “My (life/time to live) is almost ended; I have no strength left; my grave is waiting for me.
“My spirit has been destroyed, My days extinguished—graves [are] for me.
2 Those who are around me are making fun of me; I [SYN] watch them while they (taunt/make fun of) me.”
If not—mockeries [are] with me. And my eye lodges in their provocations.
3 “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.
Now place my pledge with You; Who is he that strikes hand with me?
4 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].
For You have hidden their heart from understanding, Therefore You do not exalt them.
5 [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].
For a portion he shows friendship, And the eyes of his sons are consumed.
6 “But now people use that saying of our ancestors when they talk about me; they spit in my face [to insult me].
And He set me up for a proverb of the peoples, And I am a wonder before them.
7 (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.
And my eye is dim from sorrow, And my members—all of them—as a shadow.
8 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.
The upright are astonished at this, and the innocent stirs himself up against the profane.
9 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.
And the righteous lays hold [on] his way, And the clean of hands adds strength.
10 “But even if all of those people came [and stood in front of me], I would not find anyone among them who is wise.
But please return and come in, all of you, And I do not find a wise man among you.
11 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.
My days have passed by, My plans have been broken off, The possessions of my heart!
12 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.
They appoint night for day, Light [is] near because of darkness.
13 If my home will be the place where dead people are, where will I sleep in the darkness? (Sheol h7585)
If I wait—Sheol [is] my house, In darkness I have spread out my bed. (Sheol h7585)
14 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].’
To corruption I have called: You [are] my father. To the worm: My mother and my sister.
15 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]
And where [is] my hope now? Indeed, my hope, who beholds it?
16 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)
You go down [to] the parts of Sheol, If we may rest together on the dust.” (Sheol h7585)
