Job 17
1 My spirit is consumed, and my days are over; the grave is ready for me.
My spirit shall be wasted, my days shall be shortened, and only the grave remaineth for me.
2 Surely there are mockers with me; my eye must always see their provocation.
I have not sinned, and my eye abideth in bitterness.
3 Give now a pledge, be a guarantee for me with yourself; who else is there who will help me?
Deliver me O Lord, and set me beside thee, and let any man’s hand fight against me.
4 For you, God, have kept their hearts from understanding; therefore, you will not exalt them over me.
Thou hast set their heart far from understanding, therefore they shall not be exalted.
5 He who denounces his friends for a reward, the eyes of his children will fail.
He promiseth a prey to his companions, and the eyes of his children shall fail.
6 But he has made me a byword of the people; they spit in my face.
He hath made me as it were a byword of the people, and I am an example before them.
7 My eye is also dim because of sorrow; all my body parts are as thin as shadows.
My eye is dim through indignation, and my limbs are brought as it were to nothing.
8 Upright men will be stunned by this; the innocent man will stir himself up against godless men.
The just shall be astonished at this, and the innocent shall be raised up against the hypocrite.
9 The righteous man will keep to his way; he who has clean hands will grow stronger and stronger.
And the just man shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.
10 But as for you all, come on now; I will not find a wise man among you.
Wherefore be you all converted, and come, and I shall not find among you any wise man.
11 My days are past; my plans are shattered, and so are the desires of my heart.
My days have passed away, my thoughts are dissipated, tormenting my heart.
12 These people, these mockers, change the night into day; light is near to darkness.
They have turned night into day, and after darkness I hope for light again.
13 If the only home I hope for is Sheol; and if I have spread my couch in the darkness; (Sheol h7585)
If I wait hell is my house, and I have made my bed in darkness. (Sheol h7585)
14 and if I have said to the pit, 'You are my father,' and to the worm, 'You are my mother or my sister,'
If I have said to rottenness: Thou art my father; to worms, my mother and my sister.
15 where then is my hope? As for my hope, who can see any?
Where is now then my expectation, and who considereth my patience?
