Job 17:3

The Message

“O God, pledge your support for me. Give it to me in writing, with your signature. You’re the only one who can do it! These people are so useless! You know firsthand how stupid they can be. You wouldn’t let them have the last word, would you? Those who betray their own friends leave a legacy of abuse to their children.

Cross References

Job 5:1

“Call for help, Job, if you think anyone will answer! To which of the holy angels will you turn? The hot temper of a fool eventually kills him, the jealous anger of an idiot does her in. I’ve seen it myself—seen fools putting down roots, and then, suddenly, their houses are cursed. Their children out in the cold, abused and exploited, with no one to stick up for them. Hungry people off the street plunder their harvests, cleaning them out completely, taking thorns and all, insatiable for everything they have. Don’t blame fate when things go wrong— trouble doesn’t come from nowhere. It’s human! Mortals are born and bred for trouble, as certainly as sparks fly upward.

Proverbs 11:15

Whoever makes deals with strangers is sure to get burned; if you keep a cool head, you’ll avoid rash bargains.

Proverbs 17:18

It’s stupid to try to get something for nothing, or run up huge bills you can never pay.

Proverbs 20:16

Hold tight to collateral on any loan to a stranger; beware of accepting what a transient has pawned.

Proverbs 22:26

Don’t gamble on the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, pawning your house against a lucky chance. The time will come when you have to pay up; you’ll be left with nothing but the shirt on your back.