1
My spirit shall be made feeble; my days shall be made short, and only the sepulchre is left to me. (My breath shall be made weak; my days shall be made short, and only the grave, or a tomb, is left to me.)
2
I have not sinned, and mine eye dwelleth in bitternesses. (I have not sinned, and yet I see their bitterness toward me.)
3
Lord, deliver thou me, and set me beside thee; and the hand of each man fight against me. (Lord, save thou me, and put me beside thee; then let someone try to fight against me!)
4
Thou hast made the heart of them far from doctrine, that is, (far) from knowing of (the) truth; therefore they shall not be enhanced (and so thou shalt not let them triumph).
5
He promiseth prey to his fellows, and the eyes of his sons shall fail (yet the eyes of his sons shall fail).
6
He hath set [me] as into a proverb of the common people, and his ensample before them.
7
Mine eye dimmed at [the] indignation (My eyes dimmed with grief); and my members be driven as into nought.
8
Just men shall wonder on this thing; and an innocent shall be raised up against an hypocrite.
9
And a just man shall hold his way, and he shall add strength to clean hands. (The righteous shall hold to their way, and he who hath clean hands shall be made even stronger.)
In this chapter Job not only enlarges upon the reason given in the preceding chapter, why he was desirous of an advocate with God, and one to plead his cause with him for him, Job 17:1; but adds other reasons taken from the usage of his friends, from the impossibility of any but a divine Person being his surety; and of anyone being provided and appointed as such but by God himself; from the insufficiency of his friends to judge of his cause, and from the condition and circumstances he was in, Job 17:2-7; then he takes notice of the effects his present case would have on good men, that though they might be astonished at it, they would be filled with indignation against hypocrites, and would not be moved and stumbled by his afflictions to apostatize from and desert the good ways of God, Job 17:8,9; after which he addresses his friends, and either calls upon them to renew the dispute with him, or repent of their notions, and join with him in his sentiments, Job 17:10; and lastly describes his state and circumstances, according to his apprehension of things, observing the shortness of his life, and the darkness of the dispensation he was under, through one thing and another, Job 17:11,12; that he had nothing but the grave in view, which, and its attendants, he had made very familiar with him, Job 17:13,14; and that he had no hope of restoration to a better condition, as to his outward circumstances, and that he, and his hopes his friends would have him entertain, and they also, would go down together to the grave, and there should lie in the dust, and rest together till the morning of the resurrection, Job 17:15,16.