Job 17
1 My spirit hath been destroyed, My days extinguished — graves [are] for me.
My breath is corrupt: my dayes are cut off, and the graue is readie for me.
2 If not — mockeries [are] with me. And in their provocations mine eye lodgeth.
There are none but mockers with mee, and mine eye continueth in their bitternesse.
3 Place, I pray Thee, my pledge with Thee; Who is he that striketh hand with me?
Lay downe nowe and put me in suretie for thee: who is hee, that will touch mine hand?
4 For their heart Thou hast hidden From understanding, Therefore Thou dost not exalt them.
For thou hast hid their heart from vnderstanding: therefore shalt thou not set them vp on hie.
5 For a portion he sheweth friendship, And the eyes of his sons are consumed.
For the eyes of his children shall faile, that speaketh flattery to his friends.
6 And he set me up for a proverb of the peoples, And a wonder before them I am.
Hee hath also made mee a byword of the people, and I am as a Tabret before them.
7 And dim from sorrow is mine eye, And my members as a shadow all of them.
Mine eye therefore is dimme for griefe, and all my strength is like a shadowe.
8 Astonished are the upright at this, And the innocent against the profane Stirreth himself up.
The righteous shalbe astonied at this, and the innocent shalbe moued against ye hypocrite.
9 And the righteous layeth hold [on] his way, And the clean of hands addeth strength, And — dumb are they all.
But the righteous wil holde his way, and he whose hands are pure, shall increase his strength.
10 Return, and come in, I pray you, And I find not among you a wise man.
All you therefore turne you, and come nowe, and I shall not finde one wise among you.
11 My days have passed by, My devices have been broken off, The possessions of my heart!
My dayes are past, mine enterprises are broken, and the thoughts of mine heart
12 Night for day they appoint, Light [is] near because of darkness.
Haue changed the nyght for the day, and the light that approched, for darkenesse.
Though I hope, yet the graue shall bee mine house, and I shall make my bed in the darke. (Sheol h7585)
14 To corruption I have called: — 'Thou [art] my father.' 'My mother' and 'my sister' — to the worm.
I shall say to corruption, Thou art my father, and to the worme, Thou art my mother and my sister.
15 And where [is] now my hope? Yea, my hope, who doth behold it?
Where is then now mine hope? or who shall consider the thing, that I hoped for?
