Ayub 15:5

15:5 Your sin inspires ¹  your mouth;

you choose the language ²  of the crafty. ³ 

Ayub 16:7

16:7 Surely now he ⁴  has worn me out,

you have devastated my entire household.

Ayub 35:5

35:5 Gaze at the heavens and see;

consider the clouds, which are higher than you! ⁵ 

Ayub 36:2

36:2 “Be patient ⁶  with me a little longer

and I will instruct you,

for I still have words to speak on God’s behalf. ⁷ 

Ayub 36:4

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

it is one complete ⁸  in knowledge

who is with you.

Ayub 36:20

36:20 Do not long for the cover of night

to drag people away from their homes. ⁹ 

Ayub 38:2

38:2 “Who is this ¹⁰  who darkens counsel ¹¹ 

with words without knowledge?

Ayub 40:1

Job’s Reply to God’s Challenge

40:1 Then the Lord answered Job:

[15:5]  ¹ tn The verb אַלֵּף (’allef) has the meaning of “to teach; to instruct,” but it is unlikely that the idea of revealing is intended. If the verb is understood metonymically, then “to inspire; to prompt” will be sufficient. Dahood and others find another root, and render the verb “to increase,” reversing subject and object: “your mouth increases your iniquity.”

[15:5]  ² tn Heb “tongue.”

[15:5]  ³ tn The word means “shrewd; crafty; cunning” (see Gen 3:1). Job uses clever speech that is misleading and destructive.

[16:7]  ⁴ tn In poetic discourse there is often an abrupt change from person to another. See GKC 462 §144.p. Some take the subject of this verb to be God, others the pain (“surely now it has worn me out”).

[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.).

[36:2]  ⁶ tn The verb כָּתַּר (kattar) is the Piel imperative; in Hebrew the word means “to surround” and is related to the noun for crown. But in Syriac it means “to wait.” This section of the book of Job will have a few Aramaic words.

[36:2]  ⁷ tn The Hebrew text simply has “for yet for God words.”

[36:4]  ⁸ 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.

[36:20]  ⁹ tn The meaning of this line is difficult. There are numerous suggestions for emending the text. Kissane takes the first verb in the sense of “oppress,” and for “the night” he has “belonging to you,” meaning “your people.” This reads: “Oppress not them that belong not to you, that your kinsmen may mount up in their place.”

[38:2]  ¹⁰ tn The demonstrative pronoun is used here to emphasize the interrogative pronoun (see GKC 442 §136.c).

[38:2]  ¹¹ sn The referent of “counsel” here is not the debate between Job and the friends, but the purposes of God (see Ps 33:10; Prov 19:21; Isa 19:17). Dhorme translates it “Providence.”