Ayub 22:2-3

22:2 “Is it to God that a strong man is of benefit?

Is it to him that even a wise man is profitable? ¹ 

22:3 Is it of any special benefit ²  to the Almighty

that you should be righteous,

or is it any gain to him

that you make your ways blameless? ³ 

Lukas 17:10

17:10 So you too, when you have done everything you were commanded to do, should say, ‘We are slaves undeserving of special praise; ⁴  we have only done what was our duty.’” ⁵ 

[22:2]  ¹ tn Some do not take this to be parallel to the first colon, taking this line as a statement, but the parallel expressions here suggest the question is repeated.

[22:3]  ² tn The word חֵפֶץ (khefets) in this passage has the nuance of “special benefit; favor.” It does not just express the desire for something or the interest in it, but the profit one derives from it.

[22:3]  ³ tn The verb תַתֵּם (tattem) is the Hiphil imperfect of תָּמַם (tamam, “be complete, finished”), following the Aramaic form of the geminate verb with a doubling of the first letter.

[17:10]  ⁴ tn Some translations describe the slaves as “worthless” (NRSV) or “unworthy” (NASB, NIV) but that is not Jesus’ point. These disciples have not done anything deserving special commendation or praise (L&N 33.361), but only what would normally be expected of a slave in such a situation (thus the translation “we have only done what was our duty”).

[17:10]  ⁵ tn Or “we have only done what we were supposed to do.”