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Job 17-20
Darby Translation
Job 17-20
Darby Translation
17 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.
10 But as for you all, pray come on again; and I shall not find one wise man among you.
11 My days are past, my purposes are broken off, the cherished thoughts of my heart.
12 They change the night into day; the light [they imagine] near in presence of the darkness.
13 If I wait, Sheol is my house; I spread my bed in the darkness:
14 I cry to the grave, Thou art my father! to the worm, My mother, and my sister!
15 And where is then my hope? yea, my hope, who shall see it?
16 It shall go down to the bars of Sheol, when [our] rest shall be together in the dust.
18 And Bildad the Shuhite answered and said,
2 How long will ye hunt for words? Be intelligent, and then we will speak.
3 Wherefore are we counted as beasts, and reputed stupid in your sight?
4 Thou that tearest thyself in thine anger, shall the earth be forsaken for thee? and shall the rock be removed out of its place?
5 Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the flame of his fire shall not shine.
6 The light shall become dark in his tent, and his lamp over him shall be put out.
7 The steps of his strength shall be straitened, and his own counsel shall cast him down.
8 For he is sent into the net by his own feet, and he walketh on the meshes;
9 The gin taketh [him] by the heel, the snare layeth hold on him;
10 A cord is hidden for him in the ground, and his trap in the way.
11 Terrors make him afraid on every side, and chase him at his footsteps.
12 His strength is hunger-bitten, and calamity is ready at his side.
13 The firstborn of death devoureth the members of his body; it will devour his members.
14 His confidence shall be rooted out of his tent, and it shall lead him away to the king of terrors:
15 They who are none of his shall dwell in his tent; brimstone shall be showered upon his habitation:
16 His roots shall be dried up beneath, and above shall his branch be cut off;
17 His remembrance shall perish from the earth, and he shall have no name on the pasture-grounds.
18 He is driven from light into darkness, and chased out of the world.
19 He hath neither son nor grandson among his people, nor any remaining in the places of his sojourn.
20 They that come after shall be astonished at his day, as they that went before [them] were affrighted.
21 Surely, such are the dwellings of the unrighteous man, and such the place of him that knoweth not God.
19 And Job answered and said,
2 How long will ye vex my soul, and crush me with words?
3 These ten times have ye reproached me; ye are not ashamed to stupefy me.
4 And be it [that] I have erred, mine error remaineth with myself.
5 If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, and prove against me my reproach,
6 Know now that +God hath overthrown me, and hath surrounded me with his net.
7 Behold, I cry out of wrong, and I am not heard; I cry aloud, but there is no judgment.
8 He hath hedged up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths.
9 He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.
10 He breaketh me down on every side, and I am gone; and my hope hath he torn up as a tree.
11 And he hath kindled his anger against me, and hath counted me unto him as one of his enemies.
12 His troops have come together and cast up their way against me, and have encamped round about my tent.
13 He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are quite estranged from me.
14 My kinsfolk have failed, and my known friends have forgotten me.
15 The sojourners in my house and my maids count me as a stranger; I am an alien in their sight.
16 I called my servant, and he answered not; I entreated him with my mouth.
17 My breath is strange to my wife, and my entreaties to the children of my [mother's] womb.
18 Even young children despise me; I rise up, and they speak against me.
19 All my intimate friends abhor me, and they whom I loved are turned against me.
20 My bones cleave to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.
21 Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, ye my friends; for the hand of +God hath touched me.
22 Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?
23 Oh would that my words were written! oh that they were inscribed in a book!
24 That with an iron style and lead they were graven in the rock for ever!
25 And [as for] me, I know that my Redeemer liveth, and the Last, he shall stand upon the earth;
26 And [if] after my skin this shall be destroyed, yet from out of my flesh shall I see +God;
27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another:—my reins are consumed within me.
28 If ye say, How shall we persecute him? when the root of the matter is found in me,
29 Be ye yourselves afraid of the sword! for the sword is fury against misdeeds, that ye may know there is a judgment.
20 And Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,
2 Therefore do my thoughts give me an answer, and for this is my haste within me.
3 I hear a reproof putting me to shame; and [my] spirit answereth me by mine understanding.
4 Knowest thou [not] this, that of old, since man was placed upon earth,
5 The exultation of the wicked is short, and the joy of the ungodly man but for a moment?
6 Though his height mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds,
7 Like his own dung doth he perish for ever; they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?
8 He flieth away as a dream, and is not found; and is chased away as a vision of the night.
9 The eye which saw him shall [see him] not again; and his place beholdeth him no more.
10 His children shall seek the favour of the poor, and his hands restore his wealth.
11 His bones were full of his youthful strength; but it shall lie down with him in the dust.
12 Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth [and] he hide it under his tongue,
13 [Though] he spare it, and forsake it not, but keep it within his mouth,
14 His food is turned in his bowels; it is the gall of asps within him.
15 He hath swallowed down riches, but he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.
16 He shall suck the poison of asps; the viper's tongue shall kill him.
17 He shall not see streams, rivers, brooks of honey and butter.
18 That which he laboured for shall he restore, and not swallow down; its restitution shall be according to the value, and he shall not rejoice [therein].
19 For he hath oppressed, hath forsaken the poor; he hath violently taken away a house that he did not build.
20 Because he knew no rest in his craving, he shall save nought of what he most desired.
21 Nothing escaped his greediness; therefore his prosperity shall not endure.
22 In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits; every hand of the wretched shall come upon him.
23 It shall be that, to fill his belly, he will cast his fierce anger upon him, and will rain it upon him into his flesh.
24 If he have fled from the iron weapon, the bow of brass shall strike him through.
25 He draweth it forth; it cometh out of his body, and the glittering point out of his gall: terrors are upon him.
26 All darkness is laid up for his treasures: a fire not blown shall devour him; it shall feed upon what is left in his tent.
27 The heavens shall reveal his iniquity, and the earth shall rise up against him.
28 The increase of his house shall depart, flowing away in the day of his anger.
29 This is the portion of the wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed to him by God.
Job 17-20
New International Version
Job 17-20
New International Version
17 1 My spirit(A) is broken,
my days are cut short,(B)
the grave awaits me.(C)
2 Surely mockers(D) surround me;(E)
my eyes must dwell on their hostility.
3 “Give me, O God, the pledge you demand.(F)
Who else will put up security(G) for me?(H)
4 You have closed their minds to understanding;(I)
therefore you will not let them triumph.
5 If anyone denounces their friends for reward,(J)
the eyes of their children will fail.(K)
6 “God has made me a byword(L) to everyone,(M)
a man in whose face people spit.(N)
7 My eyes have grown dim with grief;(O)
my whole frame is but a shadow.(P)
8 The upright are appalled at this;
the innocent are aroused(Q) against the ungodly.
9 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)
Bildad
18 Then Bildad the Shuhite(AI) replied:
2 “When will you end these speeches?(AJ)
Be sensible, and then we can talk.
3 Why are we regarded as cattle(AK)
and considered stupid in your sight?(AL)
4 You who tear yourself(AM) to pieces in your anger,(AN)
is the earth to be abandoned for your sake?
Or must the rocks be moved from their place?(AO)
5 “The lamp of a wicked man is snuffed out;(AP)
the flame of his fire stops burning.(AQ)
6 The light in his tent(AR) becomes dark;(AS)
the lamp beside him goes out.(AT)
7 The vigor(AU) of his step is weakened;(AV)
his own schemes(AW) throw him down.(AX)
8 His feet thrust him into a net;(AY)
he wanders into its mesh.
9 A trap seizes him by the heel;
a snare(AZ) holds him fast.(BA)
10 A noose(BB) is hidden for him on the ground;
a trap(BC) lies in his path.(BD)
11 Terrors(BE) startle him on every side(BF)
and dog(BG) his every step.
12 Calamity(BH) is hungry(BI) for him;
disaster(BJ) is ready for him when he falls.(BK)
13 It eats away parts of his skin;(BL)
death’s firstborn devours his limbs.(BM)
14 He is torn from the security of his tent(BN)
and marched off to the king(BO) of terrors.(BP)
15 Fire resides[a] in his tent;(BQ)
burning sulfur(BR) is scattered over his dwelling.
16 His roots dry up below(BS)
and his branches wither above.(BT)
17 The memory of him perishes from the earth;(BU)
he has no name(BV) in the land.(BW)
18 He is driven from light into the realm of darkness(BX)
and is banished(BY) from the world.(BZ)
19 He has no offspring(CA) or descendants(CB) among his people,
no survivor(CC) where once he lived.(CD)
20 People of the west are appalled(CE) at his fate;(CF)
those of the east are seized with horror.
21 Surely such is the dwelling(CG) of an evil man;(CH)
such is the place(CI) of one who does not know God.”(CJ)
Job
19 Then Job replied:
2 “How long will you torment(CK) me
and crush(CL) me with words?
3 Ten times(CM) now you have reproached(CN) me;
shamelessly you attack me.
4 If it is true that I have gone astray,
my error(CO) remains my concern alone.
5 If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me(CP)
and use my humiliation against me,
6 then know that God has wronged me(CQ)
and drawn his net(CR) around me.(CS)
7 “Though I cry, ‘Violence!’ I get no response;(CT)
though I call for help,(CU) there is no justice.(CV)
8 He has blocked my way so I cannot pass;(CW)
he has shrouded my paths in darkness.(CX)
9 He has stripped(CY) me of my honor(CZ)
and removed the crown from my head.(DA)
10 He tears me down(DB) on every side till I am gone;
he uproots my hope(DC) like a tree.(DD)
11 His anger(DE) burns against me;
he counts me among his enemies.(DF)
12 His troops advance in force;(DG)
they build a siege ramp(DH) against me
and encamp around my tent.(DI)
13 “He has alienated my family(DJ) from me;
my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.(DK)
14 My relatives have gone away;
my closest friends(DL) have forgotten me.
15 My guests(DM) and my female servants(DN) count me a foreigner;
they look on me as on a stranger.
16 I summon my servant, but he does not answer,
though I beg him with my own mouth.
17 My breath is offensive to my wife;
I am loathsome(DO) to my own family.
18 Even the little boys(DP) scorn me;
when I appear, they ridicule me.(DQ)
19 All my intimate friends(DR) detest me;(DS)
those I love have turned against me.(DT)
20 I am nothing but skin and bones;(DU)
I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth.[b]
21 “Have pity on me, my friends,(DV) have pity,
for the hand of God has struck(DW) me.
22 Why do you pursue(DX) me as God does?(DY)
Will you never get enough of my flesh?(DZ)
23 “Oh, that my words were recorded,
that they were written on a scroll,(EA)
24 that they were inscribed with an iron tool(EB) on[c] lead,
or engraved in rock forever!(EC)
25 I know that my redeemer[d](ED) lives,(EE)
and that in the end he will stand on the earth.[e]
26 And after my skin has been destroyed,
yet[f] in[g] my flesh I will see God;(EF)
27 I myself will see him
with my own eyes(EG)—I, and not another.
How my heart yearns(EH) within me!
28 “If you say, ‘How we will hound(EI) him,
since the root of the trouble lies in him,[h]’
29 you should fear the sword yourselves;
for wrath will bring punishment by the sword,(EJ)
and then you will know that there is judgment.[i]”(EK)
Zophar
20 Then Zophar the Naamathite(EL) replied:
2 “My troubled thoughts prompt me to answer
because I am greatly disturbed.(EM)
3 I hear a rebuke(EN) that dishonors me,
and my understanding inspires me to reply.
4 “Surely you know how it has been from of old,(EO)
ever since mankind[j] was placed on the earth,
5 that the mirth of the wicked(EP) is brief,
the joy of the godless(EQ) lasts but a moment.(ER)
6 Though the pride(ES) of the godless person reaches to the heavens(ET)
and his head touches the clouds,(EU)
7 he will perish forever,(EV) like his own dung;
those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’(EW)
8 Like a dream(EX) he flies away,(EY) no more to be found,
banished(EZ) like a vision of the night.(FA)
9 The eye that saw him will not see him again;
his place will look on him no more.(FB)
10 His children(FC) must make amends to the poor;
his own hands must give back his wealth.(FD)
11 The youthful vigor(FE) that fills his bones(FF)
will lie with him in the dust.(FG)
12 “Though evil(FH) is sweet in his mouth
and he hides it under his tongue,(FI)
13 though he cannot bear to let it go
and lets it linger in his mouth,(FJ)
14 yet his food will turn sour in his stomach;(FK)
it will become the venom of serpents(FL) within him.
15 He will spit out the riches(FM) he swallowed;
God will make his stomach vomit(FN) them up.
16 He will suck the poison(FO) of serpents;
the fangs of an adder will kill him.(FP)
17 He will not enjoy the streams,
the rivers(FQ) flowing with honey(FR) and cream.(FS)
18 What he toiled for he must give back uneaten;(FT)
he will not enjoy the profit from his trading.(FU)
19 For he has oppressed the poor(FV) and left them destitute;(FW)
he has seized houses(FX) he did not build.
20 “Surely he will have no respite from his craving;(FY)
he cannot save himself by his treasure.(FZ)
21 Nothing is left for him to devour;
his prosperity will not endure.(GA)
22 In the midst of his plenty, distress will overtake him;(GB)
the full force of misery will come upon him.(GC)
23 When he has filled his belly,(GD)
God will vent his burning anger(GE) against him
and rain down his blows on him.(GF)
24 Though he flees(GG) from an iron weapon,
a bronze-tipped arrow pierces him.(GH)
25 He pulls it out of his back,
the gleaming point out of his liver.
Terrors(GI) will come over him;(GJ)
26 total darkness(GK) lies in wait for his treasures.
A fire(GL) unfanned will consume him(GM)
and devour what is left in his tent.(GN)
27 The heavens will expose his guilt;
the earth will rise up against him.(GO)
28 A flood will carry off his house,(GP)
rushing waters[k] on the day of God’s wrath.(GQ)
29 Such is the fate God allots the wicked,
the heritage appointed for them by God.”(GR)
Footnotes
- Job 18:15 Or Nothing he had remains
- Job 19:20 Or only by my gums
- Job 19:24 Or and
- Job 19:25 Or vindicator
- Job 19:25 Or on my grave
- Job 19:26 Or And after I awake, / though this body has been destroyed, / then
- Job 19:26 Or destroyed, / apart from
- Job 19:28 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts me
- Job 19:29 Or sword, / that you may come to know the Almighty
- Job 20:4 Or Adam
- Job 20:28 Or The possessions in his house will be carried off, / washed away
Darby Translation (DARBY)
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New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.