Job 17, side by side

¹“My spirit is consumed. My days are extinct, and the grave is ready for me.

¹My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves are ready for me.

²Surely there are mockers with me. My eye dwells on their provocation.

²Are there not mockers with me? and doth not mine eye continue in their provocation?

³“Now give a pledge. Be collateral for me with yourself. Who is there who will strike hands with me?

³Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee; who is he that will strike hands with me?

⁴For you have hidden their heart from understanding, Therefore you will not exalt them.

⁴For thou hast hid their heart from understanding: therefore shalt thou not exalt them.

⁵He who denounces his friends for plunder, Even the eyes of his children will fail.

⁵He that speaketh flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children shall fail.

⁶“But he has made me a byword of the people. They spit in my face.

⁶He hath made me also a byword of the people; and aforetime I was as a tabret.

⁷My eye also is dim by reason of sorrow. All my members are as a shadow.

⁷Mine eye also is dim by reason of sorrow, and all my members are as a shadow.

⁸Upright men will be astonished at this. The innocent will stir himself up against the godless.

⁸Upright men shall be astonied at this, and the innocent shall stir up himself against the hypocrite.

⁹Yet the righteous will hold to his way. He who has clean hands will grow stronger and stronger.

⁹The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.

¹⁰But as for you all, come back. I will not find a wise man among you.

¹⁰But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: for I cannot find one wise man among you.

¹¹My days are past. My plans are broken off, as are the thoughts of my heart.

¹¹My days are past, my purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart.

¹²They change the night into day, saying ‘The light is near’ in the presence of darkness.

¹²They change the night into day: the light is short because of darkness.

¹³If I look for Sheol as my house, if I have spread my couch in the darkness,

¹³If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness.

¹⁴if I have said to corruption, ‘You are my father;’ to the worm, ‘My mother,’ and ‘My sister,’

¹⁴I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister.

¹⁵where then is my hope? as for my hope, who will see it?

¹⁵And where is now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it?

¹⁶Shall it go down with me to the gates of Sheol, or descend together into the dust?”

¹⁶They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest together is in the dust.