Ayub 31:1

Job Vindicates Himself

31:1 “I made a covenant with ¹  my eyes;

how then could I entertain thoughts against a virgin? ² 

Ayub 20:9

20:9 People ³  who had seen him will not see him again,

and the place where he was

will recognize him no longer.

Ayub 18:3

18:3 Why should we be regarded as beasts,

and considered stupid ⁴  in your sight?

Ayub 35:5

35:5 Gaze at the heavens and see;

consider the clouds, which are higher than you! ⁵ 

[31:1]  ¹ tn The idea of cutting a covenant for something may suggest a covenant that is imposed, except that this construction elsewhere argues against it (see 2 Chr 29:10).

[31:1]  ² tn This half-verse is the effect of the covenant. The interrogative מָה (mah) may have the force of the negative, and so be translated “not to pay attention.”

[20:9]  ³ tn Heb “the eye that had seen him.” Here a part of the person (the eye, the instrument of vision) is put by metonymy for the entire person.

[18:3]  ⁴ tn The verb נִטְמִינוּ (nitminu) has been explained from different roots. Some take it from תָּמֵא (tame’, “to be unclean”), and translate it “Why should we be unclean in your eyes?” Most would connect it to טָמַם (tamam, “to stop up”), meaning “to be stupid” in the Niphal. Another suggestion is to follow the LXX and read from דָּמַם (damam, “to be reduced to silence”). Others take it from דָּמָּה (damah) with a meaning “to be like.” But what is missing is the term of comparison – like what? Various suggestions have been made, but all are simply conjectures.

[35:5]  ⁵ tn The preposition is taken here as a comparative min (מִן). The line could also read “that are high above you.” This idea has appeared in the speech of Eliphaz (22:12), Zophar (11:7ff.), and even Job (9:8ff.).