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17 “My spirit is consumed.
    My days are extinct,
    and the grave is ready for me.
Surely there are mockers with me.
    My eye dwells on their provocation.

“Now give a pledge. Be collateral for me with yourself.
    Who is there who will strike hands with me?
For you have hidden their heart from understanding,
    Therefore you will not exalt them.
He who denounces his friends for plunder,
    Even the eyes of his children will fail.

“But he has made me a byword of the people.
    They spit in my face.
My eye also is dim by reason of sorrow.
    All my members are as a shadow.
Upright men will be astonished at this.
    The innocent will stir himself up against the godless.
Yet the righteous will hold to his way.
    He who has clean hands will grow stronger and stronger.
10 But as for you all, come back.
    I will not find a wise man among you.
11 My days are past.
    My plans are broken off,
    as are the thoughts of my heart.
12 They change the night into day,
    saying ‘The light is near’ in the presence of darkness.
13 If I look for Sheol[a] as my house,
    if I have spread my couch in the darkness,
14 if I have said to corruption, ‘You are my father;’
    to the worm, ‘My mother,’ and ‘My sister,’
15 where then is my hope?
    As for my hope, who will see it?
16 Shall it go down with me to the gates of Sheol,[b]
    or descend together into the dust?”

Footnotes

  1. 17:13 Sheol is the place of the dead.
  2. 17:16 Sheol is the place of the dead.

Job Prays for Relief

17 “My spirit is broken,
    my days are extinguished,
    the grave is ready for me.
Are not mockers with me?
    And does not my eye dwell on their provocation?

“Now put down a pledge for me with Yourself.
    Who is he who will shake hands with me?
For You have hidden their heart from understanding.
    Therefore will You not exalt them.
He who speaks flattery to his friends,
    even the eyes of his children will fail.

“And He has made me a byword of the people,
    someone in whose face they spit.
My eye also is dim because of sorrow,
    and all my members are like a shadow.
Upright men will be astonished at this,
    and the innocent will stir up himself against the hypocrite.
The righteous also will hold to his way,
    and he who has clean hands will be stronger and stronger.

10 “But as for you all, return and come now,
    for I cannot find one wise man among you.
11 My days are past, my purposes are broken off,
    even the thoughts of my heart.
12 They change the night into day;
    the light is short because of darkness.
13 If I wait, the grave is my house;
    I have made my bed in the darkness.
14 I have said to the pit, ‘You are my father’;
    to the worm, ‘You are my mother and my sister.’
15 Where now is my hope?
    As for my hope, who will see it?
16 Will they go down to the gates of Sheol?
    Will we descend together in the dust?”