Ayub 12:12

12:12 Is not wisdom found among the aged? ¹ 

Does not long life bring understanding?

Ayub 32:16

32:16 And I have waited. ²  But because they do not speak,

because they stand there and answer no more,

Ayub 34:18

34:18 who says to a king, ³  ‘Worthless man’ ⁴ 

and to nobles, ‘Wicked men,’

Ayub 34:27

34:27 because they have turned away from following him,

and have not understood ⁵  any of his ways,

Ayub 36:24

36:24 Remember to extol ⁶  his work,

which people have praised in song.

[12:12]  ¹ tn The statement in the Hebrew Bible simply has “among the aged – wisdom.” Since this seems to be more the idea of the friends than of Job, scholars have variously tried to rearrange it. Some have proposed that Job is citing his friends: “With the old men, you say, is wisdom” (Budde, Gray, Hitzig). Others have simply made it a question (Weiser). But others take לֹא (lo’) from the previous verse and make it the negative here, to say, “wisdom is not….” But Job will draw on the wisdom of the aged, only with discernment, for ultimately all wisdom is with God.

[32:16]  ² tn Some commentators take this as a question: “And shall [or must] I wait because they do not speak?” (A. B. Davidson, R. Gordis). But this is not convincing because the silence of the friends is the reason for him to speak, not to wait.

[34:18]  ³ tc Heb “Does one say,” although some smooth it out to say “Is it fit to say?” For the reading “who says,” the form has to be repointed to הַאֹמֵר (ha’omer) meaning, “who is the one saying.” This reading is supported by the LXX, Vulgate, and Syriac. Also it seems to flow better with the following verse. It would be saying that God is over the rulers and can rebuke them. The former view is saying that no one rebukes kings, much less Job rebuking God.

[34:18]  ⁴ tn The word בְּלִיָּעַל (bÿliyya’al) means both “worthless” and “wicked.” It is common in proverbial literature, and in later writings it became a description of Satan. It is usually found with “son of.”

[34:27]  ⁵ tn The verb הִשְׂכִּילוּ (hiskilu) means “to be prudent; to be wise.” From this is derived the idea of “be wise in understanding God’s will,” and “be successful because of prudence” – i.e., successful with God.

[36:24]  ⁶ tn The expression is “that you extol,” serving as an object of the verb.