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 

Ayub 35:7

35:7 If you are righteous, what do you give to God,

or what does he receive from your hand?

Mazmur 21:3

21:3 For you bring him ⁴  rich ⁵  blessings; ⁶ 

you place a golden crown on his head.

Roma 11:35

11:35 Or who has first given to God, ⁷ 

that God ⁸  needs to repay him? ⁹ 

[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.

[21:3]  ⁴ tn Or “meet him [with].”

[21:3]  ⁵ tn Heb “good.”

[21:3]  ⁶ sn You bring him rich blessings. The following context indicates that God’s “blessings” include deliverance/protection, vindication, sustained life, and a long, stable reign (see also Pss 3:8; 24:5).

[11:35]  ⁷ tn Grk “him”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:35]  ⁸ tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:35]  ⁹ sn A quotation from Job 41:11.