Job 17

1 “My (life/time to live) is almost ended; I have no strength left; my grave is waiting for me.

My spirit is crushed; my life is extinguished; the grave is ready for me.

2 Those who are around me are making fun of me; I [SYN] watch them while they (taunt/make fun of) me.”

Mockers surround me. I see how bitterly they ridicule me.

3 “God, [it is as though I am in prison; ] please pay the money in order that I may be released, because there is certainly no one else who will help me.

God, you need to put down a pledge for me with yourself, for who else will be my guarantor?

4 You have prevented my friends from understanding [what is true about me]; do not allow them to triumph over me, [saying that I have done things that are wrong].

You have closed their minds to understanding, so do not let them win!

5 [Our ancestors often said, ‘It often happens that] when someone betrays his friends in order to get some of their property, it is that person’s children who will be punished for it;’ [so I desire/hope that will be true of these friends of mine who are lying about me].

They betray friends to gain benefit for themselves and their children suffer for it.

6 “But now people use that saying of our ancestors when they talk about me; they spit in my face [to insult me].

He has made me a proverb of ridicule among the people; they spit in my face.

7 (My sight has become dim/I cannot see well) because I am extremely sad, and my arms and legs are [very thin, with the result that they almost do not cast] [MET] a shadow.

My eyes are worn out from crying and my body is a shadow of its former self.

8 Those who [say that they] are good/righteous are shocked [when they see what has happened to me], and people who [say that they] (are innocent/have not done anything that is wrong) say that I am wicked/godless and should be punished.

People who think they are good are shocked to see me. Those who are innocent are troubled by the godless.

9 Those who [claim that they] are righteous will continue to do what [they think] is right, and those [who say] they have not sinned will continue to become stronger.

Those who are right keep going, and those whose hands are clean grow stronger and stronger.

10 “But even if all of those people came [and stood in front of me], I would not find anyone among them who is wise.

Why don't you come back and repeat again what you've been saying?—yet I still won't find a wise man among you!

11 My (life/time to live) is almost ended; I have not been able to do the things that I confidently expected to do; [I have not been able to accomplish] anything that I [SYN] desired.

My life is over. My plans are gone. My heart is broken.

12 My friends do not know when it is night and when it is day; when it is night, they claim that it is daylight; when it is becoming dark, they claim it is becoming light.

They turn night into day, and say that daylight is close to darkness.

13 If my home will be the place where dead people are, where will I sleep in the darkness? (Sheol h7585)

What am I looking for? To make my home in Sheol, to make my bed in darkness? (Sheol h7585)

14 I may say to the grave, ‘You will be [like] a father to me,’ and say to the maggots [that will eat my body], ‘You will be [like] a mother or younger sisters to me [because you will be where I will always be].’

Should I call the grave my father, and the maggot my mother or my sister?

15 But if I say those things, (will there be anything good that I can confidently expect to happen to me?/there will be nothing good that I can confidently expect to happen to me.) [RHQ] (Is there anyone who knows anything good that I can expect when I am in the grave?/No one knows anything good that I can expect when I am in the grave.) [RHQ]

So then where is my hope? Can anyone see any hope for me?

16 After I descend to the place where the dead are, (will I be able to confidently expect anything good there?/I certainly will not be able to confidently expect anything good there.) [RHQ] [It will be as though] [RHQ] I and the things I hope for will descend with me into the dust [where the dead are].” (Sheol h7585)

Will hope go down with me to the gates of Sheol? Will we go down together into the dust?” (Sheol h7585)