Job 17:8-16

The Message

^6-8 “God, you’ve made me the talk of the town—
    people spit in my face;
I can hardly see from crying so much;
    I’m nothing but skin and bones.
Decent people can’t believe what they’re seeing;
    the good-hearted wake up and insist I’ve given up on God.

⁹ “But principled people hold tight, keep a firm grip on life,
    sure that their clean, pure hands will get stronger and stronger!

^10-16 “Maybe you’d all like to start over,
    to try it again, the bunch of you.
So far I haven’t come across one scrap
    of wisdom in anything you’ve said.
My life’s about over. All my plans are shattered,
    all my hopes are snuffed out—
My hope that night would turn into day,
    my hope that dawn was about to break.
If all I have to look forward to is a home in the graveyard,
    if my only hope for comfort is a well-built coffin,
If a family reunion means going six feet under,
    and the only family that shows up is worms,
Do you call that hope?
    Who on earth could find any hope in that?
No. If hope and I are to be buried together,
    I suppose you’ll all come to the double funeral!”