Ayub 23:9

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.

Ayub 31:19

31:19 If I have seen anyone about to perish for lack of clothing,

or a poor man without a coat,

Ayub 31:26

31:26 if I looked at the sun ⁵  when it was shining,

and the moon advancing as a precious thing,

[23:9]  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.

[23:9]  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”).

[23:9]  ³ tn The verb is the apocopated form of the imperfect. The object is supplied.

[23:9]  ⁴ tn The MT has “he turns,” but the Syriac and Vulgate have “I turn.”

[31:26]  ⁵ tn Heb “light”; but parallel to the moon it is the sun. This section speaks of false worship of the sun and the moon.