Ayub 5:16

5:16 Thus the poor have hope,

and iniquity ¹  shuts its mouth. ² 

Ayub 6:27

6:27 Yes, you would gamble ³  for the fatherless,

and auction off ⁴  your friend.

Ayub 8:7

8:7 Your beginning ⁵  will seem so small,

since your future will flourish. ⁶ 

Ayub 8:13

8:13 Such is the destiny ⁷  of all who forget God;

the hope of the godless ⁸  perishes,

Ayub 9:17

9:17 he who ⁹  crushes ¹⁰  me with a tempest,

and multiplies my wounds for no reason. ¹¹ 

Ayub 10:5

10:5 Are your days like the days of a mortal,

or your years like the years ¹²  of a mortal,

Ayub 11:2

11:2 “Should not this ¹³  abundance of words be answered, ¹⁴ 

or should this ¹⁵  talkative man ¹⁶ 

be vindicated? ¹⁷ 

Ayub 11:14

11:14 if ¹⁸  iniquity is in your hand – put it far away, ¹⁹ 

and do not let evil reside in your tents.

Ayub 12:25

12:25 They grope about in darkness ²⁰  without light;

he makes them stagger ²¹  like drunkards.

Ayub 13:4-5

13:4 But you, however, are inventors of lies; ²² 

all of you are worthless physicians! ²³ 

13:5 If only you would keep completely silent! ²⁴ 

For you, that would be wisdom. ²⁵ 

Ayub 14:1

The Brevity of Life

14:1 “Man, born of woman, ²⁶ 

lives but a few days, ²⁷  and they are full of trouble. ²⁸ 

Ayub 15:27

15:27 Because he covered his face with fat, ²⁹ 

and made ³⁰  his hips bulge with fat, ³¹ 

Ayub 16:18

An Appeal to God as Witness

16:18 “O earth, do not cover my blood, ³² 

nor let there be a secret ³³  place for my cry.

Ayub 18:6

18:6 The light in his tent grows dark;

his lamp above him is extinguished. ³⁴ 

Ayub 19:4

19:4 But even if it were ³⁵  true that I have erred, ³⁶ 

my error ³⁷  remains solely my concern!

Ayub 20:2

20:2 “This is why ³⁸  my troubled thoughts bring me back ³⁹  –

because of my feelings ⁴⁰  within me.

Ayub 22:1

Eliphaz’s Third Speech ⁴¹ 

22:1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered:

Ayub 26:6

26:6 The underworld ⁴²  is naked before God; ⁴³ 

the place of destruction lies uncovered. ⁴⁴ 

Ayub 29:22

29:22 After I had spoken, they did not respond;

my words fell on them drop by drop. ⁴⁵ 

Ayub 31:24

31:24 “If I have put my confidence in gold

or said to pure gold,

‘You are my security!’

Ayub 31:39

31:39 if I have eaten its produce without paying, ⁴⁶ 

or caused the death ⁴⁷  of its owners, ⁴⁸ 

Ayub 32:17-18

32:17 I too will answer my part,

I too will explain what I know.

32:18 For I am full of words,

and the spirit within me ⁴⁹  constrains me. ⁵⁰ 

Ayub 33:18

33:18 He spares a person’s life from corruption, ⁵¹ 

his very life from crossing over ⁵²  the river.

Ayub 34:5

34:5 For Job says, ‘I am innocent, ⁵³ 

but God turns away my right.

Ayub 34:30

34:30 so that the godless man should not rule,

and not lay snares for the people. ⁵⁴ 

Ayub 36:4

36:4 For in truth, my words are not false;

it is one complete ⁵⁵  in knowledge

who is with you.

Ayub 37:17

37:17 You, whose garments are hot

when the earth is still because of the south wind,

Ayub 41:16

41:16 each one is so close to the next ⁵⁶ 

that no air can come between them.

Ayub 41:23

41:23 The folds ⁵⁷  of its flesh are tightly joined;

they are firm on it, immovable. ⁵⁸ 

Ayub 41:29

41:29 A club is counted ⁵⁹  as a piece of straw;

it laughs at the rattling of the lance.

[5:16]  ¹ tn Other translations render this “injustice” (NIV, NRSV, CEV) or “unrighteousness” (NASB).

[5:16]  ² tn The verse summarizes the result of God’s intervention in human affairs, according to Eliphaz’ idea that even-handed justice prevails. Ps 107:42 parallels v. 16b.

[6:27]  ³ tn The word “lots” is not in the text; the verb is simply תַּפִּילוּ (tappilu, “you cast”). But the word “lots” is also omitted in 1 Sam 14:42. Some commentators follow the LXX and repoint the word and divide the object of the preposition to read “and fall upon the blameless one.” Fohrer deletes the verse. Peake transfers it to come after v. 23. Even though it does not follow quite as well here, it nonetheless makes sense as a strong invective against their lack of sympathy, and the lack of connection could be the result of emotional speech. He is saying they are the kind of people who would cast lots over the child of a debtor, who, after the death of the father, would be sold to slavery.

[6:27]  ⁴ tn The verb תִכְרוּ (tikhru) is from כָּרָה (karah), which is found in 40:30 with עַל (’al), to mean “to speculate” on an object. The form is usually taken to mean “to barter for,” which would be an expression showing great callousness to a friend (NIV). NEB has “hurl yourselves,” perhaps following the LXX “rush against.” but G. R. Driver thinks that meaning is very precarious. As for the translation, “to speculate about [or “over”] a friend” could be understood to mean “engage in speculation concerning,” so the translation “auction off” has been used instead.

[8:7]  ⁵ tn The reference to “your beginning” is a reference to Job’s former estate of wealth and peace. The reference to “latter end” is a reference to conditions still in the future. What Job had before will seem so small in comparison to what lies ahead.

[8:7]  ⁶ tn The verb has the idea of “to grow”; here it must mean “to flourish; to grow considerably” or the like. The statement is not so much a prophecy; rather Bildad is saying that “if Job had recourse to God, then….” This will be fulfilled, of course, at the end of the book.

[8:13]  ⁷ tn The word אָרְחוֹת (’orkhot) means “ways” or “paths” in the sense of tracks of destiny or fate. The word דֶּרֶךְ (derekh, “way, road, path”) is used in a similar way (Isa 40:27; Ps 37:5). However, many commentators emend the text to read אַחֲרִית (’akharit, “end”) in harmony with the LXX. But Prov 1:19 (if not emended as well) confirms the primary meaning here without changing the text (see D. J. A. Clines, Job [WBC], 199).

[8:13]  ⁸ tn The word חָנֵף (khanef) is often translated “hypocrite.” But the root verb means “to be profane,” and this would be done by idolatry or bloodshed. It describes an irreligious person, a godless person. In Dan 11:32 the word seems to mean “make someone pagan.” The word in this verse is parallel to “those who forget God.”

[9:17]  ⁹ tn The relative pronoun indicates that this next section is modifying God, the Judge. Job does not believe that God would respond or listen to him, because this is the one who is crushing him.

[9:17]  ¹⁰ tn The verb יְשׁוּפֵנִי (yÿshufeni) is the same verb that is used in Gen 3:15 for the wounding of the serpent. The Targum to Job, the LXX, and the Vulgate all translate it “to crush; to pound,” or “to bruise.” The difficulty for many exegetes is that this is to be done “with a tempest.” The Syriac and Targum Job see a different vocalization and read “with a hair.” The text as it stands is understandable and so no change is needed. The fact that the word “tempest” is written with a different sibilant in other places in Job is not greatly significant in this consideration.

[9:17]  ¹¹ tn חִנָּם (khinnam) is adverbial, meaning “gratuitously, without a cause, for no reason, undeservedly.” See its use in 2:4.

[10:5]  ¹² tn The Hebrew has repeated here “like the days of,” but some scholars think that this was an accidental replacement of what should be here, namely, “like the years of.” D. J. A. Clines notes that such repetition is not uncommon in Job, but suggests that the change should be made for English style even if the text is not emended (Job [WBC], 221). This has been followed in the present translation.

[10:5]  sn The question Job asks concerns the mode of life and not just the length of it (see Job 7:1). Humans spend their days and years watching each other and defending themselves. But there is also the implication that if God is so limited like humans he may not uncover Job’s sins before he dies.

[11:2]  ¹³ tc The LXX, Targum Job, Symmachus, and Vulgate all assume that the vocalization of רֹב (rov, “abundance”) should be רַב (rav, “great”): “great of words.” This would then mean “one who is abundant of words,” meaning, “a man of many words,” and make a closer parallel to the second half. But the MT makes good sense as it stands.

[11:2]  tn There is no article or demonstrative with the word; it has been added here simply to make a smoother connection between the chapters.

[11:2]  ¹⁴ tn The Niphal verb יֵעָנֶה (ye’aneh, “he answered”) would normally require a personal subject, but “abundance” functions as the subject in this sentence. The nuance of the imperfect is obligatory.

[11:2]  ¹⁵ tn The word is supplied here also for clarification.

[11:2]  ¹⁶ tn The bound construction “man of lips” means “a boaster” or “proud talker” (attributive genitive; and see GKC 417 §128.t). Zophar is saying that Job pours out this stream of words, but he is still not right.

[11:2]  ¹⁷ tn The word is literally “be right, righteous.” The idea of being right has appeared before for this word (cf. 9:15). The point here is that just because Job talks a lot does not mean he is right or will be shown to be right through it all.

[11:14]  ¹⁸ tn Verse 14 should be taken as a parenthesis and not a continuation of the protasis, because it does not fit with v. 13 in that way (D. J. A. Clines, Job [WBC], 256).

[11:14]  ¹⁹ tn Many commentators follow the Vulgate and read the line “if you put away the sin that is in your hand.” They do this because the imperative comes between the protasis (v. 13) and the apodosis (v. 15) and does not appear to be clearly part of the protasis. The idea is close to the MT, but the MT is much more forceful – if you find sin in your hand, get rid of it.

[12:25]  ²⁰ tn The word is an adverbial accusative.

[12:25]  ²¹ tn The verb is the same that was in v. 24, “He makes them [the leaders still] wander” (the Hiphil of תָּעָה, ta’ah). But in this passage some commentators emend the text to a Niphal of the verb and put it in the plural, to get the reading “they reel to and fro.” But even if the verse closes the chapter and there is no further need for a word of divine causation, the Hiphil sense works well here – causing people to wander like a drunken man would be the same as making them stagger.

[13:4]  ²² tn The טֹפְלֵי־שָׁקֶר (tofÿle shaqer) are “plasterers of lies” (Ps 119:69). The verb means “to coat, smear, plaster.” The idea is that of imputing something that is not true. Job is saying that his friends are inventors of lies. The LXX was influenced by the next line and came up with “false physicians.”

[13:4]  ²³ tn The literal rendering of the construct would be “healers of worthlessness.” Ewald and Dillmann translated it “patchers” based on a meaning in Arabic and Ethiopic; this would give the idea “botchers.” But it makes equally good sense to take “healers” as the meaning, for Job’s friends came to minister comfort and restoration to him – but they failed. See P. Humbert, “Maladie et medicine dans l’AT,” RHPR 44 (1964): 1-29.

[13:5]  ²⁴ tn The construction is the imperfect verb in the wish formula preceded by the infinitive that intensifies it. The Hiphil is not directly causative here, but internally – “keep silent.”

[13:5]  ²⁵ tn The text literally reads, “and it would be for you for wisdom,” or “that it would become your wisdom.” Job is rather sarcastic here, indicating if they shut up they would prove themselves to be wise (see Prov 17:28).

[14:1]  ²⁶ tn The first of the threefold apposition for אָדָם (’adam, “man”) is “born of a woman.” The genitive (“woman”) after a passive participle denotes the agent of the action (see GKC 359 §116.l).

[14:1]  ²⁷ tn The second description is simply “[is] short of days.” The meaning here is that his life is short (“days” being put as the understatement for “years”).

[14:1]  ²⁸ tn The third expression is “consumed/full/sated – with/of – trouble/restlessness.” The latter word, רֹגֶז (rogez), occurred in Job 3:17; see also the idea in 10:15.

[15:27]  ²⁹ sn This verse tells us that he is not in any condition to fight, because he is bloated and fat from luxurious living.

[15:27]  ³⁰ tn D. W. Thomas defends a meaning “cover” for the verb עָשָׂה (’asah). See “Translating Hebrew `asah,” BT 17 [1966]: 190-93.

[15:27]  ³¹ tn The term פִּימָה (pimah), a hapax legomenon, is explained by the Arabic fa’ima, “to be fat.” Pope renders this “blubber.” Cf. KJV “and maketh collops of fat on his flanks.”

[16:18]  ³² sn Job knows that he will die, and that his death, signified here by blood on the ground, will cry out for vindication.

[16:18]  ³³ tn The word is simply “a place,” but in the context it surely means a hidden place, a secret place that would never be discovered (see 18:21).

[18:6]  ³⁴ tn The LXX interprets a little more precisely: “his lamp shall be put out with him.”

[18:6]  sn This thesis of Bildad will be questioned by Job in 21:17 – how often is the lamp of the wicked snuffed out?

[19:4]  ³⁵ tn Job has held to his innocence, so the only way that he could say “I have erred” (שָׁגִיתִי, shagiti) is in a hypothetical clause like this.

[19:4]  ³⁶ tn There is a long addition in the LXX: “in having spoken words which it is not right to speak, and my words err, and are unreasonable.”

[19:4]  ³⁷ tn The word מְשׁוּגָה (mÿshugah) is a hapax legomenon. It is derived from שׁוּג (shug, “to wander; to err”) with root paralleling שָׁגַג (shagag) and שָׁגָה (shagah). What Job is saying is that even if it were true that he had erred, it did not injure them – it was solely his concern.

[20:2]  ³⁸ tn The ordinary meaning of לָכֵן (lakhen) is “therefore,” coming after an argument. But at the beginning of a speech it is an allusion to what follows.

[20:2]  ³⁹ tn The verb is שׁוּב (shuv, “to return”), but in the Hiphil, “bring me back,” i.e., prompt me to make another speech. The text makes good sense as it is, and there is no reason to change the reading to make a closer parallel with the second half – indeed, the second part explains the first.

[20:2]  ⁴⁰ tn The word is normally taken from the root “to hasten,” and rendered “because of my haste within me.” But K&D 11:374 proposed another root, and similarly, but closer to the text, E. Dhorme (Job, 289-90) found an Arabic word with the meaning “feeling, sensation.” He argues that from this idea developed the meanings in the cognates of “thoughts” as well. Similarly, Gordis translates it “my feeling pain.” See also Eccl 2:25.

[22:1]  ⁴¹ sn The third and final cycle of speeches now begins with Eliphaz’ final speech. Eliphaz will here underscore the argument that man’s ills are brought about by sin; he will then deduce from Job’s sufferings the sins he must have committed and the sinful attitude he has about God. The speech has four parts: Job’s suffering is proof of his sin (2-5), Job’s sufferings demonstrate the kinds of sin Job committed (6-11), Job’s attitude about God (12-20), and the final appeal and promise to Job (21-30).

[26:6]  ⁴² tn Heb “Sheol.”

[26:6]  ⁴³ tn Heb “before him.”

[26:6]  ⁴⁴ tn The line has “and there is no covering for destruction.” “Destruction” here is another name for Sheol: אֲבַדּוֹן (’avaddon, “Abaddon”).

[29:22]  ⁴⁵ tn The verb simply means “dropped,” but this means like the rain. So the picture of his words falling on them like the gentle rain, drop by drop, is what is intended (see Deut 32:2).

[31:39]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “without silver.”

[31:39]  ⁴⁷ tc The versions have the verb “grieved” here. The Hebrew verb means “to breathe,” but the form is Hiphil. This verb in that stem could mean something of a contemptuous gesture, like “sniff” in Mal 1:13. But with נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) in Job 11:20 it means “to cause death,” i.e., “to cause to breathe out; to expire.” This is likely the meaning here, although it is possible that it only meant “to cause suffering” to the people.

[31:39]  ⁴⁸ tn There is some debate over the meaning of בְּעָלֶיהָ (bÿ’aleyha), usually translated “its owners.” Dahood, following others (although without their emendations), thought it referred to “laborers” (see M. Dahood, Bib 41 [1960]: 303; idem, Bib 43 [1962]: 362).

[32:18]  ⁴⁹ tn Heb “the spirit of my belly.”

[32:18]  ⁵⁰ tn The verb צוּק (tsuq) means “to constrain; to urge; to press.” It is used in Judg 14:17; 16:16 with the sense of wearing someone down with repeated entreaties. Elihu cannot withhold himself any longer.

[33:18]  ⁵¹ tn A number of interpreters and translations take this as “the pit” (see Job 17:14; cf. NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).

[33:18]  ⁵² tc Here is another difficult line. The verb normally means “to pass through; to pass over,” and so this word would normally mean “from passing through [or over].” The word שֶׁלַח (shelakh) does at times refer to a weapon, but most commentators look for a parallel with “the pit [or corruption].” One suggestion is שְׁאוֹלָה (shÿ’olah, “to Sheol”), proposed by Duhm. Dhorme thought it was שַׁלַח (shalakh) and referred to the passageway to the underworld (see M. Tsevat, VT 4 [1954]: 43; and Svi Rin, BZ 7 [1963]: 25). See discussion of options in HALOT 1517-18 s.v. IV שֶׁלַח. The idea of crossing the river of death fits the idea of the passage well, although the reading “to perish by the sword” makes sense and was followed by the NIV.

[34:5]  ⁵³ tn Heb “righteous,” but in this context it means to be innocent or in the right.

[34:30]  ⁵⁴ tn This last verse is difficult because it is unbalanced and cryptic. Some have joined the third line of v. 29 with this entire verse to make a couplet. But the same result is achieved by simply regarding this verse as the purpose of v. 29. But there still are some words that must be added. In the first colon, “[he is over the nations]…preventing from ruling.” And in the second colon, “laying” has to be supplied before “snares.”

[36:4]  ⁵⁵ tn The word is תְּמִים (tÿmim), often translated “perfect.” It is the same word used of Job in 2:3. Elihu is either a complete stranger to modesty or is confident regarding the knowledge that he believes God has revealed to him for this situation. See the note on the heading before 32:1.

[41:16]  ⁵⁶ tn The expression “each one…to the next” is literally “one with one.”

[41:23]  ⁵⁷ tn Heb “fallings.”

[41:23]  ⁵⁸ tn The last clause says “it cannot be moved.” But this part will function adverbially in the sentence.

[41:29]  ⁵⁹ tn The verb is plural, but since there is no expressed subject it is translated as a passive here.