Ayub 9:35

9:35 Then ¹  would I speak and not fear him,

but it is not so with me. ² 

Ayub 13:19

13:19 Who ³  will contend with me?

If anyone can, I will be silent and die. ⁴ 

Ayub 13:26

13:26 For you write down ⁵  bitter things against me

and cause me to inherit the sins of my youth. ⁶ 

Ayub 19:5

19:5 If indeed ⁷  you would exalt yourselves ⁸  above me

and plead my disgrace against me, ⁹ 

[9:35]  ¹ tn There is no conjunction with this cohortative; but the implication from the context is that if God’s rod were withdrawn, if the terror were removed, then Job would speak up without fear.

[9:35]  ² tn The last half of the verse is rather cryptic: “but not so I with me.” NIV renders it “but as it now stands with me, I cannot.” This is very smooth and interpretive. Others transpose the two halves of the verse to read, “Since it is not so, I with myself // will commune and not fear him.” Job would be saying that since he cannot contend with God on equal terms, and since there is no arbiter, he will come on his own terms. English versions have handled this differently: “for I know I am not what I am thought to be” (NEB); “since this is not the case with me” (NAB); “I do not see myself like that at all” (JB).

[13:19]  ³ tn The interrogative is joined with the emphatic pronoun, stressing “who is he [who] will contend,” or more emphatically, “who in the world will contend.” Job is confident that no one can bring charges against him. He is certain of success.

[13:19]  ⁴ sn Job is confident that he will be vindicated. But if someone were to show up and have proof of sin against him, he would be silent and die (literally “keep silent and expire”).

[13:26]  ⁵ tn The meaning is that of writing down a formal charge against someone (cf. Job 31:15).

[13:26]  ⁶ sn Job acknowledges sins in his youth, but they are trifling compared to the suffering he now endures. Job thinks it unjust of God to persecute him now for those – if that is what is happening.

[19:5]  ⁷ tn The introductory particles repeat אָמְנָם (’amnam, “indeed”) but now with אִם (’im, “if”). It could be interpreted to mean “is it not true,” or as here in another conditional clause.

[19:5]  ⁸ tn The verb is the Hiphil of גָּדַל (gadal); it can mean “to make great” or as an internal causative “to make oneself great” or “to assume a lofty attitude, to be insolent.” There is no reason to assume another root here with the meaning of “quarrel” (as Gordis does).

[19:5]  ⁹ sn Job’s friends have been using his shame, his humiliation in all his sufferings, as proof against him in their case.