< Job 17 >
1 My spirit hath been destroyed, My days extinguished — graves [are] for me.
2 If not — mockeries [are] with me. And in their provocations mine eye lodgeth.
3 Place, I pray Thee, my pledge with Thee; Who is he that striketh hand with me?
4 For their heart Thou hast hidden From understanding, Therefore Thou dost not exalt them.
5 For a portion he sheweth friendship, And the eyes of his sons are consumed.
6 And he set me up for a proverb of the peoples, And a wonder before them I am.
7 And dim from sorrow is mine eye, And my members as a shadow all of them.
8 Astonished are the upright at this, And the innocent against the profane Stirreth himself up.
9 And the righteous layeth hold [on] his way, And the clean of hands addeth strength, And — dumb are they all.
10 Return, and come in, I pray you, And I find not among you a wise man.
11 My days have passed by, My devices have been broken off, The possessions of my heart!
12 Night for day they appoint, Light [is] near because of darkness.
13 If I wait — Sheol [is] my house, In darkness I have spread out my couch. (Sheol )
14 To corruption I have called: — 'Thou [art] my father.' 'My mother' and 'my sister' — to the worm.
15 And where [is] now my hope? Yea, my hope, who doth behold it?
16 [To] the parts of Sheol ye go down, If together on the dust we may rest. (Sheol )
