Ayub 6:11

6:11 What is my strength, that I should wait? ¹ 

and what is my end, ² 

that I should prolong my life?

Ayub 9:25

Renewed Complaint

9:25 “My days ³  are swifter than a runner, ⁴ 

they speed by without seeing happiness.

Ayub 29:8

29:8 the young men would see me and step aside, ⁵ 

and the old men would get up and remain standing;

Ayub 31:18

31:18 but from my youth I raised the orphan ⁶  like a father,

and from my mother’s womb ⁷ 

I guided the widow! ⁸ 

Ayub 38:21

38:21 You know, for you were born before them; ⁹ 

and the number of your days is great!

Ayub 41:4

41:4 Will it make a pact ¹⁰  with you,

so you could take it ¹¹  as your slave for life?

[6:11]  ¹ sn Now, in vv. 11-13, Job proceeds to describe his hopeless condition. In so doing, he is continuing his defense of his despair and lament. The section begins with these rhetorical questions in which Job affirms that he does not have the strength to wait for the blessings that Eliphaz is talking about.

[6:11]  ² tn The word translated “my end” is קִצִּי (qitsi). It refers to the termination of his life. In Ps 39:5 it is parallel to “the measure of my days.” In a sense, Job is asking what future he has. To him, the “end” of his affliction can only be death.

[9:25]  ³ tn The text has “and my days” following the thoughts in the previous section.

[9:25]  ⁴ sn Job returns to the thought of the brevity of his life (7:6). But now the figure is the swift runner instead of the weaver’s shuttle.

[29:8]  ⁵ tn The verb means “to hide; to withdraw.” The young men out of respect would withdraw or yield the place of leadership to Job (thus the translation “step aside”). The old men would rise and remain standing until Job took his seat – a sign of respect.

[31:18]  ⁶ tn Heb “he grew up with me.” Several commentators have decided to change the pronoun to “I,” and make it causative.

[31:18]  ⁷ tn The expression “from my mother’s womb” is obviously hyperbolic. It is a way of saying “all his life.”

[31:18]  ⁸ tn Heb “I guided her,” referring to the widow mentioned in v. 16.

[38:21]  ⁹ tn The imperfect verb after the adverb אָז (’az, “then”) functions as a preterite: “you were born.” The line is sarcastic.

[41:4]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “will he cut a covenant.”

[41:4]  ¹¹ tn The imperfect verb serves to express what the covenant pact would cover, namely, “that you take.”