Job 17
1 “My spirit is consumed. My days are extinct and the grave is ready for me.
My spirit is broken, my days are cut short, the grave is ready for me.
2 Surely there are mockers with me. My eye dwells on their provocation.
Yet truly those that mock are with me, and on their offendings must my eye rest.
3 “Now give a pledge. Be collateral for me with yourself. Who is there who will strike hands with me?
And thou, [Creator!] attend, I pray thee, be my surety with thyself: who else is there that would strike hands with me?
4 For you have hidden their heart from understanding, therefore you will not exalt them.
For thou hast concealed their heart against intelligence: therefore art thou not exalted [through them].
5 He who denounces his friends for plunder, even the eyes of his children will fail.
Every one of them speaketh deceptively to his friends: may also the eyes of his children fail.
6 “But he has made me a byword of the people. They spit in my face.
And he hath placed me here as a by-word unto nations; and I become openly as a place of abomination.
7 My eye also is dim by reason of sorrow. All my members are as a shadow.
Therefore is my eye dim from vexation, and my limbs are all of them like a shadow.
8 Upright men will be astonished at this. The innocent will stir himself up against the godless.
Upright men must be astonished at this, and the innocent must arouse himself against the hypocrite.
9 Yet the righteous will hold to his way. He who has clean hands will grow stronger and stronger.
Yet will the righteous hold firmly on to his way; and he that is clean of hands will acquire additional strength.
10 But as for you all, come back. I will not find a wise man among you.
But all of you, do only return, and come but [to me]: and yet I shall not find among you one wise man.
11 My days are past. My plans are broken off, as are the thoughts of my heart.
My days are past, my resolves are broken off, [even the thoughts]—the possessions of my heart.
12 They change the night into day, saying ‘The light is near’ in the presence of darkness.
These would change the night into day, the light as near in the presence of darkness.—
When I hope for the nether world as my house; in the darkness have I spread my couch; (Sheol h7585)
14 if I have said to corruption, ‘You are my father,’ and to the worm, ‘My mother,’ and ‘My sister,’
When I call to corruption, Thou art my father: Thou art my mother, and my sister, to the worms.
15 where then is my hope? As for my hope, who will see it?
Ay, where is then my hope? as for my hope, who will see it [fulfilled]?
