Job Continues: Where Then Is My Hope?

17 “My spirit is broken; my days are (A)extinct;
    (B)the graveyard is ready for me.
Surely there are mockers about me,
    and my eye dwells on their (C)provocation.

“Lay down a pledge for me with you;
    who is there who will put up (D)security for me?
Since you have closed their hearts to understanding,
    therefore you will not let them triumph.
He who informs against his friends to get a share of their property—
    the (E)eyes of his children will fail.

“He has made me (F)a byword of the peoples,
    and I am one before whom men spit.
My (G)eye has grown dim from vexation,
    and all my members are like (H)a shadow.
The upright are (I)appalled at this,
    and the innocent stirs himself up against the godless.
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]

Footnotes

  1. Job 17:12 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
  2. Job 17:16 Or Will they go down to the bars of Sheol? Is rest to be found together in the dust?

17 My spirit(A) is broken,
    my days are cut short,(B)
    the grave awaits me.(C)
Surely mockers(D) surround me;(E)
    my eyes must dwell on their hostility.

“Give me, O God, the pledge you demand.(F)
    Who else will put up security(G) for me?(H)
You have closed their minds to understanding;(I)
    therefore you will not let them triumph.
If anyone denounces their friends for reward,(J)
    the eyes of their children will fail.(K)

“God has made me a byword(L) to everyone,(M)
    a man in whose face people spit.(N)
My eyes have grown dim with grief;(O)
    my whole frame is but a shadow.(P)
The upright are appalled at this;
    the innocent are aroused(Q) against the ungodly.
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)

17 My ruach is broken, my yamim are extinct, the kevarim are ready for me.

Does not hatulim (mockery) surround me? And doth not mine eye continue in their provocation?

Lay down an eravon (pledge) with Thee; who is he that will put up security for me?

For Thou hast hid their lev from seichel; therefore shalt Thou not exalt them.

He that informs on re’im for chelek, even the eyes of his banim shall fail.

He hath made me also a mashal (byword) of the peoples; and I am one in whose face they spit.

Mine eye also is dim by reason of ka’as, and all my members are like a tzel (shadow).

Yesharim shall be appalled at this and the naki (pure, innocent) shall stir up himself against the chanef (profane, irreligious).

The tzaddik also shall hold to his derech, and he whose yadayim are tahor shall grow stronger and stronger.

10 But as for all you, do ye return, and come back now; for I cannot find one chacham among you.

11 My yamim are past, my plans are broken, even the morashot (possessions, desires) of my lev.

12 They change the lailah into yom; the ohr is near to choshech, say they.

13 If I wait, Sheol is mine bais; I have made my bed in the choshech.

14 I have said to Shachat, thou art avi; to the worm, thou art immi, and achoti.

15 And where is now my tikveh? As for my tikveh, who regards it?

16 Will it go down to the gates of Sheol? Shall we go down together into the dust?