Job 17

1 “My (life/time to live) is almost ended; I have no strength left; my grave is waiting for me.

Mi spirit schal be maad feble; my daies schulen be maad schort, and oneli the sepulcre is left to me.

2 Those who are around me are making fun of me; I [SYN] watch them while they (taunt/make fun of) me.”

Y have not synned, and myn iye dwellith in bittirnessis.

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.

Lord, delyuere thou me, and sette thou me bisidis thee; and the hond of ech fiyte ayens 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].

Thou hast maad the herte of hem fer fro doctryn, `ethir knowyng of treuthe; therfor thei schulen not be enhaunsid.

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 bihetith prey to felowis, and the iyen of hise sones schulen faile.

6 “But now people use that saying of our ancestors when they talk about me; they spit in my face [to insult me].

He hath set as in to a prouerbe of the comyn puple, and his saumple bifor hem.

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.

Myn `iye dasewide at indignacioun; and my membris ben dryuun as in to nouyt.

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.

Iust men schulen wondre on this thing; and an innocent schal be reisid ayens an ypocrite.

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 a iust man schal holde his weie, and he schal adde strengthe to clene hondis.

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.

Therfor alle `ye be conuertid, and come ye; and Y schal not fynde in you ony wiys 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 daies ben passid; my thouytis ben scaterid, turmentynge myn herte.

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.

Tho han turned the nyyt `in to day; and eft aftir derknessis hope liyt.

13 If my home will be the place where dead people are, where will I sleep in the darkness? (Sheol h7585)

If Y `susteyne, ether suffre pacientli, helle is myn hous; and Y haue arayede my bed in derknessis. (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].’

Y seide to rot, Thou art my fadur; and to wormes, Ye ben my modir 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]

Therfor where is now myn abidyng? and who biholdith my pacience?

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)

Alle my thingis schulen go doun in to deppeste helle; gessist thou, whether reste schal be to me, nameli there. (Sheol h7585)