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Job 17-18
English Standard Version
Job 17-18
English Standard Version
Job Continues: Where Then Is My Hope?
17 “My spirit is broken; my days are (A)extinct;
(B)the graveyard is ready for me.
2 Surely there are mockers about me,
and my eye dwells on their (C)provocation.
3 “Lay down a pledge for me with you;
who is there who will put up (D)security for me?
4 Since you have closed their hearts to understanding,
therefore you will not let them triumph.
5 He who informs against his friends to get a share of their property—
the (E)eyes of his children will fail.
6 “He has made me (F)a byword of the peoples,
and I am one before whom men spit.
7 My (G)eye has grown dim from vexation,
and all my members are like (H)a shadow.
8 The upright are (I)appalled at this,
and the innocent stirs himself up against the godless.
9 Yet the righteous holds to his way,
and he who has (J)clean hands grows stronger and stronger.
10 But you, (K)come on again, all of you,
and I shall not find a wise man among you.
11 My (L)days are past; my plans are broken off,
the desires of my heart.
12 They (M)make night into day:
‘The light,’ they say, ‘is near to the darkness.’[a]
13 If I hope for (N)Sheol as (O)my house,
if I make my bed in darkness,
14 if I say to the pit, ‘You are my father,’
and to the worm, ‘My mother,’ or ‘My sister,’
15 where then is my hope?
Who will see my hope?
16 Will it go down to the bars of (P)Sheol?
Shall we (Q)descend together (R)into the dust?”[b]
Bildad Speaks: God Punishes the Wicked
18 Then (S)Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:
2 “How long will you (T)hunt for words?
Consider, and then we will speak.
3 Why are we counted as (U)cattle?
Why are we stupid in your sight?
4 You who (V)tear yourself in your anger,
shall the earth be forsaken for you,
or (W)the rock be removed out of its place?
5 “Indeed, (X)the light of the wicked is put out,
and the flame of his fire does not shine.
6 The light is (Y)dark in his tent,
and his lamp above him is put out.
7 His strong steps are shortened,
and his (Z)own schemes throw him down.
8 For he is cast into a net by his own feet,
and he walks on its mesh.
9 (AA)A trap seizes him by the heel;
a snare lays hold of him.
10 A rope is hidden for him in the ground,
a trap for him in the path.
11 (AB)Terrors frighten him on every side,
and chase him at his heels.
12 His strength is famished,
and calamity is (AC)ready for his stumbling.
13 It consumes the parts of his skin;
(AD)the firstborn of death consumes his limbs.
14 He is torn from the tent in which he trusted
and is brought to (AE)the king of terrors.
15 In his tent dwells that which is none of his;
(AF)sulfur is scattered over his habitation.
16 His (AG)roots dry up beneath,
and his branches (AH)wither above.
17 His (AI)memory perishes from the earth,
and he has no name in the street.
18 (AJ)He is thrust from light into darkness,
and driven out of the world.
19 He has no (AK)posterity or progeny among his people,
and no survivor where he used to live.
20 They of the west are appalled at his (AL)day,
and (AM)horror seizes them of the east.
21 Surely such are the dwellings of the unrighteous,
such is the place of him who (AN)knows not God.”
Job 17-18
New International Version
Job 17-18
New International Version
17 1 My spirit(A) is broken,
my days are cut short,(B)
the grave awaits me.(C)
2 Surely mockers(D) surround me;(E)
my eyes must dwell on their hostility.
3 “Give me, O God, the pledge you demand.(F)
Who else will put up security(G) for me?(H)
4 You have closed their minds to understanding;(I)
therefore you will not let them triumph.
5 If anyone denounces their friends for reward,(J)
the eyes of their children will fail.(K)
6 “God has made me a byword(L) to everyone,(M)
a man in whose face people spit.(N)
7 My eyes have grown dim with grief;(O)
my whole frame is but a shadow.(P)
8 The upright are appalled at this;
the innocent are aroused(Q) against the ungodly.
9 Nevertheless, the righteous(R) will hold to their ways,
and those with clean hands(S) will grow stronger.(T)
10 “But come on, all of you, try again!
I will not find a wise man among you.(U)
11 My days have passed,(V) my plans are shattered.
Yet the desires of my heart(W)
12 turn night into day;(X)
in the face of the darkness light is near.(Y)
13 If the only home I hope for is the grave,(Z)
if I spread out my bed(AA) in the realm of darkness,(AB)
14 if I say to corruption,(AC) ‘You are my father,’
and to the worm,(AD) ‘My mother’ or ‘My sister,’
15 where then is my hope—(AE)
who can see any hope for me?(AF)
16 Will it go down to the gates of death?(AG)
Will we descend together into the dust?”(AH)
Bildad
18 Then Bildad the Shuhite(AI) replied:
2 “When will you end these speeches?(AJ)
Be sensible, and then we can talk.
3 Why are we regarded as cattle(AK)
and considered stupid in your sight?(AL)
4 You who tear yourself(AM) to pieces in your anger,(AN)
is the earth to be abandoned for your sake?
Or must the rocks be moved from their place?(AO)
5 “The lamp of a wicked man is snuffed out;(AP)
the flame of his fire stops burning.(AQ)
6 The light in his tent(AR) becomes dark;(AS)
the lamp beside him goes out.(AT)
7 The vigor(AU) of his step is weakened;(AV)
his own schemes(AW) throw him down.(AX)
8 His feet thrust him into a net;(AY)
he wanders into its mesh.
9 A trap seizes him by the heel;
a snare(AZ) holds him fast.(BA)
10 A noose(BB) is hidden for him on the ground;
a trap(BC) lies in his path.(BD)
11 Terrors(BE) startle him on every side(BF)
and dog(BG) his every step.
12 Calamity(BH) is hungry(BI) for him;
disaster(BJ) is ready for him when he falls.(BK)
13 It eats away parts of his skin;(BL)
death’s firstborn devours his limbs.(BM)
14 He is torn from the security of his tent(BN)
and marched off to the king(BO) of terrors.(BP)
15 Fire resides[a] in his tent;(BQ)
burning sulfur(BR) is scattered over his dwelling.
16 His roots dry up below(BS)
and his branches wither above.(BT)
17 The memory of him perishes from the earth;(BU)
he has no name(BV) in the land.(BW)
18 He is driven from light into the realm of darkness(BX)
and is banished(BY) from the world.(BZ)
19 He has no offspring(CA) or descendants(CB) among his people,
no survivor(CC) where once he lived.(CD)
20 People of the west are appalled(CE) at his fate;(CF)
those of the east are seized with horror.
21 Surely such is the dwelling(CG) of an evil man;(CH)
such is the place(CI) of one who does not know God.”(CJ)
Footnotes
- Job 18:15 Or Nothing he had remains
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.