In the north ¹  when he is at work, ²  I do not see him; ³  when he turns ⁴  to the south, I see no trace of him.

biblegateway Job 23:9

When He acts on the left, I cannot behold Him; He turns on the right, I cannot see Him.

When He is at work to the north, I cannot see Him; when He turns south, I cannot find Him.

If I go northward, where he is at work, I can’t observe him. If I turn southward, I can’t see him.

biblegateway Job 23:9

When he is at work in the north, I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him.

on the left hand when he is working, I do not behold him; he turns to the right hand, but I do not see him.

bibleoremus Job 23:9

on the left he hides, and I cannot behold him; I turn to the right, but I cannot see him.

when I turn north, I do not descry him; I face south, but he is not to be seen.

biblegateway Job 23:9

When He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him ; When He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him .

On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold [him]: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see [him]:

biblegateway Job 23:9

In the north ¹  when he is at work, ²  I do not see him; ³  when he turns ⁴  to the south, I see no trace of him.

¹ sn The text has “the left hand,” the Semitic idiom for directions. One faces the rising sun, and so left is north, right is south.

² tc The form בַּעֲשֹׂתוֹ (ba’asoto) would be the temporal clause using the infinitive construct with a pronoun (subject genitive). This would be “when he works.” Several follow the Syriac with “I seek him.” The LXX has “[when] he turns.” R. Gordis (Job, 261) notes that there is no need to emend the text; he shows a link to the Arabic cognate ghasa, “to cover.” To him this is a perfect parallel to יַעְטֹף (ya’tof, “covers himself”).

³ tn The verb is the apocopated form of the imperfect. The object is supplied.

⁴ tn The MT has “he turns,” but the Syriac and Vulgate have “I turn.”