Job 17
1 “My (life/time to live) is almost ended; I have no strength left; my grave is waiting for me.
My breath is exhausted; My days are at an end; The grave is ready for me.
2 Those who are around me are making fun of me; I [SYN] watch them while they (taunt/make fun of) me.”
Are not revilers before me? And doth not my eye dwell upon 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.
Give a pledge, I pray thee; be thou a surety for me with thee; Who is he that will strike hands 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].
Behold, thou hast blinded their understanding; Therefore thou wilt not suffer them to prevail.
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].
He who delivereth up his friends as a prey, —The eyes of his children shall fail.
6 “But now people use that saying of our ancestors when they talk about me; they spit in my face [to insult me].
He made me the by-word of the people; Yea, I have become their abhorrence.
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.
My eye therefore is dim with sorrow, And all my limbs are 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.
Upright men will be astonished at this, And the innocent will rouse themselves against the wicked.
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.
The righteous will also hold on his way, And he that hath clean hands will gather 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 as for you all, return, I pray! I find not yet among you one wise man.
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 are at an end; My plans are broken off; Even the treasures 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.
Night hath become day to me; The light bordereth on darkness.
13 If my home will be the place where dead people are, where will I sleep in the darkness? (Sheol h7585)
Yea, I look to the grave as my home; I have made my bed in darkness. (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].’
I say to the pit, Thou art my father! And 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]
Where then is my hope? Yea, my hope, who shall see 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)
It must go down to the bars of the under-world, As soon as there is rest for me in the dust. (Sheol h7585)
