Job 17
1 My spirit hath been destroyed, My days extinguished — graves [are] for me.
My breath is exhausted; My days are at an end; The grave is ready for me.
2 If not — mockeries [are] with me. And in their provocations mine eye lodgeth.
Are not revilers before me? And doth not my eye dwell upon their provocations?
3 Place, I pray Thee, my pledge with Thee; Who is he that striketh hand with me?
Give a pledge, I pray thee; be thou a surety for me with thee; Who is he that will strike hands with me?
4 For their heart Thou hast hidden From understanding, Therefore Thou dost not exalt them.
Behold, thou hast blinded their understanding; Therefore thou wilt not suffer them to prevail.
5 For a portion he sheweth friendship, And the eyes of his sons are consumed.
He who delivereth up his friends as a prey, —The eyes of his children shall fail.
6 And he set me up for a proverb of the peoples, And a wonder before them I am.
He made me the by-word of the people; Yea, I have become their abhorrence.
7 And dim from sorrow is mine eye, And my members as a shadow all of them.
My eye therefore is dim with sorrow, And all my limbs are as a shadow.
8 Astonished are the upright at this, And the innocent against the profane Stirreth himself up.
Upright men will be astonished at this, And the innocent will rouse themselves against the wicked.
9 And the righteous layeth hold [on] his way, And the clean of hands addeth strength, And — dumb are they all.
The righteous will also hold on his way, And he that hath clean hands will gather strength.
10 Return, and come in, I pray you, And I find not among you a wise man.
But as for you all, return, I pray! I find not yet 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 at an end; My plans are broken off; Even the treasures of my heart.
12 Night for day they appoint, Light [is] near because of darkness.
Night hath become day to me; The light bordereth on darkness.
Yea, I look to the grave as my home; I have made my bed in darkness. (Sheol h7585)
14 To corruption I have called: — 'Thou [art] my father.' 'My mother' and 'my sister' — to the worm.
I say to the pit, Thou art my father! And to the worm, My mother! and, My sister!
15 And where [is] now my hope? Yea, my hope, who doth behold it?
Where then is my hope? Yea, my hope, who shall see it?
