Job 17
1 My spirit is consumed, and my days are over; the grave is ready for me.
My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves [are ready] for me.
2 Surely there are mockers with me; my eye must always see their provocation.
[Are there] not mockers with me? and doth not my eye continue in their provocation?
3 Give now a pledge, be a guarantee for me with yourself; who else is there who will help me?
Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee; who [is] he [that] will strike hands with me?
4 For you, God, have kept their hearts from understanding; therefore, you will not exalt them over me.
For thou hast hid their heart from understanding: therefore shalt thou not exalt [them].
5 He who denounces his friends for a reward, the eyes of his children will fail.
He that speaketh flattery to [his] friends, even 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 also a by-word of the people; and in former time I was as a tabret.
7 My eye is also dim because of sorrow; all my body parts are as thin as shadows.
My eye also is dim by reason of sorrow, and all my members [are] as a shade.
8 Upright men will be stunned by this; the innocent man will stir himself up against godless men.
Upright [men] shall be astonished at this, and the innocent shall stir up himself against the hypocrite.
9 The righteous man will keep to his way; he who has clean hands will grow stronger and stronger.
The righteous also 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.
But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: for I cannot find [one] wise [man] among you.
11 My days are past; my plans are shattered, and so are the desires of my heart.
My days are past, my purposes are broken off, [even] the thoughts of my heart.
12 These people, these mockers, change the night into day; light is near to darkness.
They change the night into day: the light [is] short because of darkness.
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, the grave [is] my house: I have made my bed in the 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,'
I have said to corruption, Thou [art] my father: to the worm, [Thou art] my mother, and my sister.
15 where then is my hope? As for my hope, who can see any?
And where [is] now my hope? as for my hope, who will see it?
