Job 17
1 Mon âme est meurtrie, mes jours s’éteignent, la tombe m’attend.
“My (life/time to live) is almost ended; I have no strength left; my grave is waiting for me.
2 Ne suis-je pas en butte à des moqueries? Mes yeux ne sont-ils pas constamment témoins de leurs perfidies?
Those who are around me are making fun of me; I [SYN] watch them while they (taunt/make fun of) me.”
3 Ah! De grâce, accorde-moi ta caution! Sois toi-même mon garant vis-à-vis de toi qui voudrait s’engager pour moi?
“God, [it is as though I am in prison; ] please pay the money in order that I may be released, because there is certainly no one else who will help me.
4 Car tu as fermé leur cœur à la raison; aussi ne les laisseras-tu pas triompher.
You have prevented my friends from understanding [what is true about me]; do not allow them to triumph over me, [saying that I have done things that are wrong].
5 Pour une part de butin on trahit des amis, de sorte que les yeux de leurs enfants se consument de misère.
[Our ancestors often said, ‘It often happens that] when someone betrays his friends in order to get some of their property, it is that person’s children who will be punished for it;’ [so I desire/hope that will be true of these friends of mine who are lying about me].
6 On a fait de moi la fable des nations; je suis l’homme à qui on crache au visage.
“But now people use that saying of our ancestors when they talk about me; they spit in my face [to insult me].
7 Mes yeux sont éteints par le chagrin, et tous mes organes sont comme une ombre.
(My sight has become dim/I cannot see well) because I am extremely sad, and my arms and legs are [very thin, with the result that they almost do not cast] [MET] a shadow.
8 Les gens de bien en sont stupéfaits, et l’innocent en est révolté contre l’impie.
Those who [say that they] are good/righteous are shocked [when they see what has happened to me], and people who [say that they] (are innocent/have not done anything that is wrong) say that I am wicked/godless and should be punished.
9 Cependant le juste persiste dans sa conduite, et celui qui a les mains pures redouble d’énergie.
Those who [claim that they] are righteous will continue to do what [they think] is right, and those [who say] they have not sinned will continue to become stronger.
10 Quant à vous, retournez-vous donc tous contre moi, venez! Je ne trouverai pas un sage parmi vous.
“But even if all of those people came [and stood in front of me], I would not find anyone among them who is wise.
11 Mes jours ont fui, mes projets sont ruinés, ces trésors de mon cœur.
My (life/time to live) is almost ended; I have not been able to do the things that I confidently expected to do; [I have not been able to accomplish] anything that I [SYN] desired.
12 De la nuit ils veulent faire le jour, ils disent la lumière plus proche que les ténèbres.
My friends do not know when it is night and when it is day; when it is night, they claim that it is daylight; when it is becoming dark, they claim it is becoming light.
13 Si je n’attends plus d’autre demeure que le Cheol, si j’ai étendu ma couche dans la région des ombres; (Sheol h7585)
If my home will be the place where dead people are, where will I sleep in the darkness? (Sheol h7585)
14 si je dis au tombeau: "Tu es mon père!" et à la vermine: "Tu es ma mère et ma sœur"
I may say to the grave, ‘You will be [like] a father to me,’ and say to the maggots [that will eat my body], ‘You will be [like] a mother or younger sisters to me [because you will be where I will always be].’
15 où donc est mon espérance? Mon espérance, qui peut la voir?
But if I say those things, (will there be anything good that I can confidently expect to happen to me?/there will be nothing good that I can confidently expect to happen to me.) [RHQ] (Is there anyone who knows anything good that I can expect when I am in the grave?/No one knows anything good that I can expect when I am in the grave.) [RHQ]
16 Elle a sombré jusqu’au fond du Cheol, si toutefois le repos est assuré dans la poussière. (Sheol h7585)
After I descend to the place where the dead are, (will I be able to confidently expect anything good there?/I certainly will not be able to confidently expect anything good there.) [RHQ] [It will be as though] [RHQ] I and the things I hope for will descend with me into the dust [where the dead are].” (Sheol h7585)
