Ayub 22:28-30

22:28 Whatever you decide ¹  on a matter,

it will be established for you,

and light will shine on your ways.

22:29 When people are brought low ²  and you say

‘Lift them up!’ ³ 

then he will save the downcast; ⁴ 

22:30 he will deliver even someone who is not innocent, ⁵ 

who will escape ⁶  through the cleanness of your hands.”

[22:28]  ¹ tn The word is גָּזַר (gazar, “to cut”), in the sense of deciding a matter.

[22:29]  ² tn There is no expressed subject here, and so the verb is taken as a passive voice again.

[22:29]  ³ tn The word גֵּוָה (gevah) means “loftiness; pride.” Here it simply says “up,” or “pride.” The rest is paraphrased. Of the many suggestions, the following provide a sampling: “It is because of pride” (ESV), “he abases pride” (H. H. Rowley); “[he abases] the lofty and the proud” (Beer); “[he abases] the word of pride” [Duhm]; “[he abases] the haughtiness of pride” [Fohrer and others]; “[he abases] the one who speaks proudly” [Weiser]; “[he abases] the one who boasts in pride” [Kissane]; and “God [abases] pride” [Budde, Gray].

[22:29]  ⁴ tn Or “humble”; Heb “the lowly of eyes.”

[22:30]  ⁵ tc The Hebrew has אִי־נָקִי (’i naqi), which could be taken as “island of the innocent” (so Ibn-Ezra), or “him that is not innocent” (so Rashi). But some have changed אִי (’i) to אִישׁ (’ish, “the innocent man”). Others differ: A. Guillaume links אִי (’i) to Arabic ‘ayya “whosoever,” and so leaves the text alone. M. Dahood secures the same idea from Ugaritic, but reads it אֵי (’e).

[22:30]  ⁶ tc The MT has “he will escape [or be delivered].” Theodotion has the second person, “you will be delivered.”