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Job 10
Job 10:1
I am weary of my life
"I am tired of living"
I will give free expression to my complaint
The abstract nouns "expression" and "complaint" can be translated as the verbs "express" and "complain." Alternate translation: "I will freely express what I have to complain about" or "I will argue freely" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-abstractnouns)
I will speak in the bitterness of my soul
How Job feels is compared to a bitter taste. The abstract noun "bitterness" can be translated as the adverb "bitterly." Alternate translation: "My inner being will speak bitterly" or "I will bitterly speak out" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-abstractnouns)
Job 10:2
General Information:
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Job 10:3
Is it good to you that you should oppress me, to despise the work of your hands while you smile on the plans of the wicked?
This question expects a "no" answer and can be changed into a statement. Alternate translation: "It is not good that you should oppress me, that you should despise the work of your hands, while you smile on the plans of the wicked." (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion)
the work of your hands
Here God is represented by his "hands." Alternate translation: "what you have created" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-synecdoche)
smile on the plans of the wicked
Here the idiom "smiling on" represents God's approval. Alternate translation: "approve the plans of the wicked" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-idiom)
Job 10:4
Do you have eyes of flesh? Do you see like a man sees?
These two questions have nearly the same meaning. These questions expect a negative answer to emphasize that God does not see or understand things the same way a man does. They can be expressed as statements. Alternate translation: "You do not have eyes of flesh, and you do not see like a man sees." (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-parallelism and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion)
Job 10:5
Connecting Statement:
Job begins to ask a rhetorical question. He is saying that God lives forever but people live only for a short time, so God should not worry about Job's sins. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion)
your days like the days of mankind ... your years like the years of people
These two phrases have nearly the same meaning. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-parallelism)
your days
"the number of your days"
your years
"the number of your years"
Job 10:6
Connecting Statement:
Job continues the rhetorical question he began in verse 5. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion)
inquire after my iniquity
"look to see if I have committed iniquity"
Job 10:7
Connecting Statement:
This is the end of the rhetorical question that begins with the words "Are your days" in verse 5.
although you know ... from your hand?
This is the end of the rhetorical question that begins with the words "Are your days" in verse 5. The whole question can be translated as a statement. "Your days are not like the days of mankind, and your years are not like the years of people, so you should not inquire after my iniquity and search after my sin, because you know I am not guilty and there is no one who can rescue me from your hand." (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion)
from your hand
Here "your hand" represents God's power. Alternate translation: "from your power" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-synecdoche)
Job 10:8
Your hands
Here "hands" represent God and his creative action. Alternate translation: "You" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-synecdoche)
Your hands have framed and fashioned me together round about
Job is using a metaphor of a potter forming clay to describe how God carefully created him. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
framed and fashioned me
"shaped and formed me." The words "framed" and "fashioned" are similar in meaning. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-doublet)
Job 10:9
Call to mind
"Remember"
bring me into dust again
"turn me back into dust again"
Job 10:10
General Information:
In these verses, Job uses the language of poetry to describe how God formed him in the womb. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/writing-poetry)
Have you not poured me out like milk and curdled me like cheese?
This is a question that expects a positive answer. Alternate translation: "You poured me out like milk and curdled me like cheese." or "You formed me in the womb like poured milk becomes cheese." (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-simile)
you
Here "you" refers to God.
me
Here "me" refers to Job.
Job 10:11
You have clothed me with skin and flesh
God putting skin and flesh on Job's body is spoken of as if God was putting clothing on him. Alternate translation: "You have put skin and flesh on my body" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
knit me together
"wove me together." God putting Job's body together in the womb is spoken of as if God was knitting or weaving a piece of cloth. Alternate translation: "put me together" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
sinews
the parts of the body that connect muscles to bones or other body parts and are like tough, white bands or cords
Job 10:12
You have granted me life and covenant faithfulness
The abstract nouns "life" and "faithfulness" can be stated as "live" and "faithful." Alternate translation: "You have been faithful to your covenant and allowed me to live" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-abstractnouns)
your help
"your care"
guarded my spirit
Here Job is represented by his "spirit." Alternate translation: "guarded me" or "watched carefully over me" or "kept me safe" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-synecdoche)
Job 10:13
General Information:
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Job 10:14
you would notice it
"you would watch me"
Job 10:15
If I have acted wickedly
"If I do evil things"
woe to me
"how terrible will it be for me"
lift up my head
This idiom means to be sure or confident. Alternate translation: "hold my head up" or "be confident" or "be sure about myself" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-idiom)
I am filled with disgrace—see my affliction
Another possible meaning, followed by some versions, is, "I am full of disgrace and am completely full of my own suffering," where the disgrace is bad but the suffering is even worse.
I am filled with disgrace
"I am totally ashamed" or "No one respects me anymore"
disgrace
shame
see my affliction
The abstract noun "affliction" can be translated using the verb "afflict." Alternate translation: "see how God is afflicting me" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-abstractnouns)
Job 10:16
If my head were lifted up, you would stalk me like a lion
Possible meanings are that Job sees this as 1) a potential situation that has not happened yet or 2) as a situation that happens repeatedly. Alternate translation: "When my head is lifted up, you stalk me like a lion" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-hypo)
If my head were lifted up
This idiom means to become self-confident or proud. Alternate translation: "If I become proud" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-idiom and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rpronouns)
you would stalk me like a lion
Possible meanings of this simile are 1) God hunts Job like a lion hunts its prey or 2) Job is like a lion being hunted by God. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-simile)
again you would show yourself with marvellous acts of power against me
This phrase expresses irony in how God displays his marvelous power by acting to harm Job. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-irony and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rpronouns)
Job 10:17
You bring new witnesses against me
Job's troubles from God are spoken of as if they were people who were witnesses against him. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
increase your anger against me
The abstract noun "anger" can be translated as the adjective "angry." Alternate translation: "are more and more angry with me" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-abstractnouns)
you attack me with fresh armies
God sending troubles against Job is spoken of as if God was constantly sending new armies against him. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
Job 10:18
brought me out of the womb
Here being brought out of the womb represents being born into this world. Alternate translation: "brought me out of my mother's womb" or "brought me into this world" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
given up my spirit
Giving up one's spirit represents dying. Alternate translation: "died" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
and that no eye had ever seen me
Job uses "eye" here to refer to the whole person. He wishes he could have died at birth, before anyone saw him. Alternate translation: "before any person had ever seen me" or "before I was born" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-synecdoche)
Job 10:19
I had never existed
"I had never lived"
I would have been carried
"My body would have been carried"
Job 10:20
Are not my days only a few?
Here "my days" represent the length of Job's life. This question expects a positive answer, to emphasize that Job only expects to live a few more days. It can be translated as a statement. Alternate translation: "I only have a few days left to live." or "My life will soon end." (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion)
Job 10:21
the land
Here the place where the spirits of dead people go is spoken of as if it was a land. Alternate translation: "the place" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
of darkness and of the shadow of death
The phrase "shadow of death" intensifies the idea of "darkness." Both phrases describe where the spirits of dead people go. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-doublet)
the shadow of death
See how you translated this in Job 3:5.
Job 10:22
as dark as midnight
The darkness of the place where the spirits of dead people go is compared to the darkness of midnight. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-simile)
without any order
This negative phrase can be expressed in positive form. Alternate translation: "full of confusion" or "where all is confused" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-litotes)
where the light is like midnight
The light of the place where the spirits of dead people go is compared to midnight. Alternate translation: "where there is no light" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-simile)