17
Job Says He Has Become a Byword
“My spirit is broken, my days are extinguished,
The 1Lit gravesAPs 88:3, 4grave is ready for me.
AJob 12:4; 17:6Surely mockers are with me,
And my eye 1Lit lodgesgazes on their provocation.
 
“Lay down, now, a pledge APs 119:122; Is 38:14for me with Yourself;
Who is there that will 1Lit strike hands with mebe my guarantor?
“For You have 1Lit hiddenAJob 12:20kept their heart from understanding,
Therefore You will not exalt them.
“He who ALev 19:13, 16informs against friends for a share of the spoil,
The BJob 11:20eyes of his children also will languish.
 
“But He has made me a AJob 17:2byword of the people,
And I am 1Lit a spitting to the facesone at whom men BJob 30:10spit.
“My eye has also grown AJob 16:16dim because of grief,
And all my BJob 16:8members are as a shadow.
“The upright will be appalled at this,
And the AJob 22:19innocent will stir up himself against the godless.
“Nevertheless AProv 4:18the righteous will hold to his way,
And BJob 22:30; 31:7he who has clean hands will grow stronger and stronger.
10 “But come again all of 1With some ancient mss and versions; M.T. themyou now,
For I AJob 12:2do not find a wise man among you.
11 “My AJob 7:6days are past, my plans are torn apart,
Even the wishes of my heart.
12 “They make night into day, saying,
‘The light is near,’ in the presence of darkness.
13 “If I look for AJob 3:13Sheol as my home,
I 1Lit spread outmake my bed in the darkness;
14 If I call to the AJob 7:5; 13:28; 30:30pit, ‘You are my father’;
To the BJob 21:26; 25:6worm, ‘my mother and my sister’;
15 Where now is AJob 7:6my hope?
And who regards my hope?
16 1So the Gr; Heb possibly Let my limbs sink down to Sheol, since there is rest in the dust for allWill it go down with me to Sheol?
Shall we together AJob 3:17; 21:33go down into the dust?”

117:1 Lit graves

A17:1 Ps 88:3, 4

A17:2 Job 12:4; 17:6

117:2 Lit lodges

A17:3 Ps 119:122; Is 38:14

117:3 Lit strike hands with me

117:4 Lit hidden

A17:4 Job 12:20

A17:5 Lev 19:13, 16

B17:5 Job 11:20

A17:6 Job 17:2

117:6 Lit a spitting to the faces

B17:6 Job 30:10

A17:7 Job 16:16

B17:7 Job 16:8

A17:8 Job 22:19

A17:9 Prov 4:18

B17:9 Job 22:30; 31:7

117:10 With some ancient mss and versions; M.T. them

A17:10 Job 12:2

A17:11 Job 7:6

A17:13 Job 3:13

117:13 Lit spread out

A17:14 Job 7:5; 13:28; 30:30

B17:14 Job 21:26; 25:6

A17:15 Job 7:6

117:16 So the Gr; Heb possibly Let my limbs sink down to Sheol, since there is rest in the dust for all

A17:16 Job 3:17; 21:33