KJV ORIGINAL
I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
I have said to decay, 'You are my father,' and to the worm, 'You are my mother and my sister.'
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
Job is expressing how close he feels to death and decay, as if they were his own family members.
📚 Historical Context
Job spoke these words during his intense suffering, having lost his wealth, children, and health. In ancient times, people were very familiar with the process of bodily decay after death, and worms were commonly associated with decomposition. Job is using this imagery to show how he feels death is so near that corruption and worms have become like intimate family to him.
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