Job 17
1 My spirit hath been destroyed, My days extinguished — graves [are] for me.
My spirit is consumed, my days are extinct, the grave is [ready] for me.
2 If not — mockeries [are] with me. And in their provocations mine eye lodgeth.
Surely there are mockers with me, and mine eye abideth in their provocation.
3 Place, I pray Thee, my pledge with Thee; Who is he that striketh hand with me?
Give now a pledge, be surety for me with thyself; who is there that will strike hands with me?
4 For their heart Thou hast hidden From understanding, Therefore Thou dost not exalt them.
For thou hast hid their heart from understanding: therefore shalt thou not exalt [them].
5 For a portion he sheweth friendship, And the eyes of his sons are consumed.
He that denounceth his friends for a prey, even 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 hath made me also a byword of the people; and I am become an open abhorring.
7 And dim from sorrow is mine eye, And my members as a shadow all of them.
Mine eye also is dim by reason of sorrow, and all my members are as a shadow.
8 Astonished are the upright at this, And the innocent against the profane Stirreth himself up.
Upright men shall be astonied at this, and the innocent shall stir up himself against the godless.
9 And the righteous layeth hold [on] his way, And the clean of hands addeth strength, And — dumb are they all.
Yet shall the righteous hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall wax stronger and stronger.
10 Return, and come in, I pray you, And I find not among you a wise man.
But return ye, all of you, and come now: and I shall not find a wise man among you.
11 My days have passed by, My devices have been broken off, The possessions of my heart!
My days are past, my purposes are broken off, even the droughts of my heart.
12 Night for day they appoint, Light [is] near because of darkness.
They change the night into a day: the fight, [say they], is near unto the darkness.
If I look for Sheol as mine house; if I have spread my couch in the darkness; (Sheol h7585)
14 To corruption I have called: — 'Thou [art] my father.' 'My mother' and 'my sister' — to the worm.
If I have said to corruption, Thou art my father; to the worm, [Thou art] my mother, and my sister;
15 And where [is] now my hope? Yea, my hope, who doth behold it?
Where then is my hope? and as for my hope, who shall see it?
