Job 17
1 My spirit hath been destroyed, My days extinguished — graves [are] for me.
My spirit is broken, my days are cut short, the grave is ready for me.
2 If not — mockeries [are] with me. And in their provocations mine eye lodgeth.
Yet truly those that mock are with me, and on their offendings must my eye rest.
3 Place, I pray Thee, my pledge with Thee; Who is he that striketh hand 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 their heart Thou hast hidden From understanding, Therefore Thou dost not exalt them.
For thou hast concealed their heart against intelligence: therefore art thou not exalted [through them].
5 For a portion he sheweth friendship, And the eyes of his sons are consumed.
Every one of them speaketh deceptively to his friends: may also the eyes of his children fail.
6 And he set me up for a proverb of the peoples, And a wonder before them I am.
And he hath placed me here as a by-word unto nations; and I become openly as a place of abomination.
7 And dim from sorrow is mine eye, And my members as a shadow all of them.
Therefore is my eye dim from vexation, and my limbs are all of them like a shadow.
8 Astonished are the upright at this, And the innocent against the profane Stirreth himself up.
Upright men must be astonished at this, and the innocent must arouse himself against the hypocrite.
9 And the righteous layeth hold [on] his way, And the clean of hands addeth strength, And — dumb are they all.
Yet will the righteous hold firmly on to his way; and he that is clean of hands will acquire additional strength.
10 Return, and come in, I pray you, And I find not among you a wise man.
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 have passed by, My devices have been broken off, The possessions of my heart!
My days are past, my resolves are broken off, [even the thoughts]—the possessions of my heart.
12 Night for day they appoint, Light [is] near because 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 To corruption I have called: — 'Thou [art] my father.' 'My mother' and 'my sister' — to the worm.
When I call to corruption, Thou art my father: Thou art my mother, and my sister, to the worms.
15 And where [is] now my hope? Yea, my hope, who doth behold it?
Ay, where is then my hope? as for my hope, who will see it [fulfilled]?
