Job 17:1–9

1 My spirit is broken,

my days are cut short,

the grave awaits me.

2 Surely mockers surround me;

my eyes must dwell on their hostility.

3 “Give me, O God, the pledge you demand.

Who else will put up security for me?

4 You have closed their minds to understanding;

therefore you will not let them triumph.

5 If anyone denounces their friends for reward,

the eyes of their children will fail.

6 “God has made me a byword to everyone,

a man in whose face people spit.

7 My eyes have grown dim with grief;

my whole frame is but a shadow.

8 The upright are appalled at this;

the innocent are aroused against the ungodly.

9 Nevertheless, the righteous will hold to their ways,

and those with clean hands will grow stronger.

1 My breath is corrupt,

My days are extinct,

The graves are ready for me.

2 Are there not mockers with me?

And doth not mine eye continue in their provocation?

3 Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee;

Who is he that will strike hands with me?

4 For thou hast hid their heart from understanding:

Therefore shalt thou not exalt them.

5 He that speaketh flattery to his friends,

Even the eyes of his children shall fail.

6 He hath made me also a byword of the people;

And aforetime I was as a tabret.

7 Mine eye also is dim by reason of sorrow,

And all my members are as a shadow.

8 Upright men shall be astonied at this,

And the innocent shall stir up himself against the hypocrite.

9 The righteous also shall hold on his way,

And he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.

1 “My spirit is crushed,

and my life is nearly snuffed out.

The grave is ready to receive me.

2 I am surrounded by mockers.

I watch how bitterly they taunt me.

3 “You must defend my innocence, O God,

since no one else will stand up for me.

4 You have closed their minds to understanding,

but do not let them triumph.

5 They betray their friends for their own advantage,

so let their children faint with hunger.

6 “God has made a mockery of me among the people;

they spit in my face.

7 My eyes are swollen with weeping,

and I am but a shadow of my former self.

8 The virtuous are horrified when they see me.

The innocent rise up against the ungodly.

9 The righteous keep moving forward,

and those with clean hands become stronger and stronger.

1 “My spirit is broken, My days are extinguished,

The grave is ready for me.

2 Are not mockers with me?

And does not my eye dwell on their provocation?

3 “Now put down a pledge for me with Yourself.

Who is he who will shake hands with me?

4 For You have hidden their heart from understanding;

Therefore You will not exalt them.

5 He who speaks flattery to his friends,

Even the eyes of his children will fail.

6 “But He has made me a byword of the people,

And I have become one in whose face men spit.

7 My eye has also grown dim because of sorrow,

And all my members are like shadows.

8 Upright men are astonished at this,

And the innocent stirs himself up against the hypocrite.

9 Yet the righteous will hold to his way,

And he who has clean hands will be stronger and stronger.

1 My spirit is broken;

the days of my life are almost gone.

The grave is waiting for me.

2 Those who laugh at me surround me;

I watch them insult me.

3 “God, make me a promise.

No one will make a pledge for me.

4 You have closed their minds to understanding.

Do not let them win over me.

5 People might speak against their friends for money,

but if they do, the eyes of their children go blind.

6 “God has made my name a curse word;

people spit in my face.

7 My sight has grown weak because of my sadness,

and my body is as thin as a shadow.

8 Honest people are upset about this;

innocent people are upset with those who do wrong.

9 But those who do right will continue to do right,

and those whose hands are not dirty with sin will grow stronger.

1 My spirit is consumed, my days are extinct,

The grave is ready for me.

2 Surely there are mockers with me,

And mine eye dwelleth upon their provocation.

3 Give now a pledge, be surety for me with thyself;

Who is there that will strike hands with me?

4 For thou hast hid their heart from understanding:

Therefore shalt thou not exalt them.

5 He that denounceth his friends for a prey,

Even the eyes of his children shall fail.

6 But he hath made me a byword of the people;

And they spit in my face.

7 Mine eye also is dim by reason of sorrow,

And all my members are as a shadow.

8 Upright men shall be astonished at this,

And the innocent shall stir up himself against the godless.

9 Yet shall the righteous hold on his way,

And he that hath clean hands shall wax stronger and stronger.

1 My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves are mine. 2 Are there not mockers around me? and doth not mine eye abide in their provocation? 3 Lay down now a pledge, be thou surety for me with thyself: who is he that striketh hands with me? 4 For thou hast hidden their heart from understanding; therefore thou wilt not exalt them. 5 He that betrayeth friends for a prey—even the eyes of his children shall fail. 6 And he hath made me a proverb of the peoples; and I am become one to be spit on in the face. 7 And mine eye is dim by reason of grief, and all my members are as a shadow. 8 Upright men shall be astonished at this, and the innocent shall be stirred up against the ungodly; 9 But the righteous shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall increase in strength.

1 “My spirit is broken. 

My days have been snuffed out. 

The cemetery ⸤is waiting⸥ for me. 

2 Certainly, mockers are around me. 

My eyes are focused on their opposition. 

3 Please guarantee my bail yourself. 

Who else will guarantee it with a handshake? 

4 You have closed their minds so that they cannot understand. 

That is why you will not honor them. 

5 (Whoever turns in friends to get their property 

should have his children’s eyesight fail.) 

6 “Now he has made me a laughingstock for many people. 

Now they spit in my face. 

7 Now my eyes are blurred from grief. 

Now all my limbs are like a shadow. 

8 Decent people are shocked by this, 

and it stirs up the innocent against godless people. 

9 Yet, the righteous person clings to his way, 

and the one with clean hands grows stronger. 

1 My spirit is broken.

My days are extinguished.

A graveyard awaits me.

2 Surely mockers surround me

and my eyes must gaze at their rebellion.

3 Make arrangements! Put up security for me.

Who else will be my sponsor?

4 You have closed their minds to understanding,

therefore You will not honor them.

5 If a man informs on his friends for a price,

the eyes of his children will fail.

6 He has made me an object of scorn to the people;

I have become a man people spit at.

7 My eyes have grown dim from grief,

and my whole body has become but a shadow.

8 The upright are appalled at this,

and the innocent are roused against the godless.

9 Yet the righteous person will hold to his way,

and the one whose hands are clean will grow stronger.

1 “My spirit is broken; my days are extinct;

the grave is ready for me.

2 Surely there are mockers around me,

and my eye dwells on their provocation.

3 “Lay down a pledge for me with yourself;

who is there who will give surety for me?

4 Since you have closed their minds to understanding,

therefore you will not let them triumph.

5 Those who denounce friends for reward—

the eyes of their children will fail.

6 “He has made me a byword of the peoples,

and I am one before whom people spit.

7 My eye has grown dim from grief,

and all my members are like a shadow.

8 The upright are appalled at this,

and the innocent stir themselves up against the godless.

9 Yet the righteous hold to their way,

and they who have clean hands grow stronger and stronger.

1 “My spirit is pulled down; my days are extinguished;

the graveyard is for me.

2 Surely mockery is with me,

and my eye rests on their provocation.

3 Please lay down a pledge for me with yourself;

who is he who will give security for my hand?

4 Indeed, you have closed their mind from understanding;

therefore, you will not let them triumph.

5 He denounces friends for reward,

so his children’s eyes will fail.

6 “And he has made me a proverb for the peoples,

and I am one before whom people spit.

7 And my eye has grown dim from grief,

and the limbs of my body are all like a shadow.

8 The upright are appalled at this,

and the innocent excites himself over the godless.

9 But the righteous holds on to his way,

and he who has clean hands increases in strength.

1 My strength is almost gone.

I won’t live much longer.

A grave is waiting for me.

2 People who make fun of me are all around me.

I’m forced to watch as they attack me with their words.

3 “God, please pay the price to have me set free.

Who else would put up money for me?

4 You have closed the minds of those who are trying to comfort me.

They don’t understand that I haven’t done anything wrong.

So don’t let them win the argument.

5 Suppose a man tells lies about his friends to get a reward.

Then his own children will suffer for it.

6 “God has made everyone laugh at me.

People spit in my face.

7 My eyes have grown weak because I’m so sad.

My body is so thin it hardly casts a shadow.

8 Those who claim to be honest

are shocked when they see me.

Those who think they haven’t sinned

are stirred up against me.

They think I’m ungodly.

9 But godly people will keep doing what is right.

Those who have clean hands will grow stronger.

1 “My spirit is broken, my days are extinguished,

The grave is ready for me.

2 “Surely mockers are with me,

And my eye gazes on their provocation.

3 “Lay down, now, a pledge for me with Yourself;

Who is there that will be my guarantor?

4 “For You have kept their heart from understanding,

Therefore You will not exalt them.

5 “He who informs against friends for a share of the spoil,

The eyes of his children also will languish.

6 “But He has made me a byword of the people,

And I am one at whom men spit.

7 “My eye has also grown dim because of grief,

And all my members are as a shadow.

8 “The upright will be appalled at this,

And the innocent will stir up himself against the godless.

9 “Nevertheless the righteous will hold to his way,

And he who has clean hands will grow stronger and stronger.