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Job 18
Job 18:1
General Information:
Bildad the Shuhite is speaking to Job. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/writing-poetry and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-parallelism
Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said
"Bildad" is the name of a man who is a member of the tribe of Shuah. See how you translated this in Job 8:1.
Job 18:2
When will you stop your talk?
This rhetorical question means that Job has been talking for too long. This may be written as a statement. Alternate translation: "Stop talking!" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion)
Consider, and
"Be reasonable, and" or "Think about these things, and"
Job 18:3
General Information:
Bildad continues speaking to Job.
Why are we regarded as cattle, stupid in your sight?
Bildad uses this rhetorical questions to emphasize to Job that he should not consider his friends as animals who cannot think or speak. It can be written as a statement in active form. Alternate translation: "We should not be regarded as beasts, as stupid in your sight." or "You should not regard us as beasts or think of us as stupid." (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
Why are we
The word "we" probably refers to Bildad and Job's other friends and so is exclusive. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-exclusive)
regarded
Regarding, looking, is a metonym here for thinking well or badly of someone. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
in your sight
Here sight represents judgment or evaluation. Alternate translation: "in your judgment" or "in your thinking" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
your sight
The word "your" here is plural. Bildad is using sarcasm to tell Job that Job should not think of himself as a great man. Alternate translation: "your sight, you who wrongly think you are great" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-123person and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-irony)
Job 18:4
You who tear at yourself in your anger
Here Bildad is stating that it is because of Job's anger and disobedience that he has been injured, not because of God's anger as Job has previously claimed. The word "tear" here means to "injure." Alternate translation: "You who have caused your own injuries because of your anger" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-explicit)
should the earth be forsaken for you or should the rocks be removed out of their places?
This rhetorical question suggests that letting Job, whom they consider a guilty man, go free would be like changing the whole world. Bildad uses these huge exaggerations here to emphasize how outrageous he thinks this is. This can be written as a statement. Alternate translation: "asking God to let you, a guilty man, go free is as silly as asking for God to forsake the earth for your sake or for God to move the rocks out of their places to please you!" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-hyperbole)
should the earth be forsaken
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "should everyone leave the earth" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
should the rocks be removed out of their places
This can be stated in active form. The word "rocks" here refers to large rocks, such as those in the mountains. Alternate translation: "should God remove the rocks from their places" or "should God move mountains around" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
Job 18:5
General Information:
Bildad continues speaking to Job.
Indeed, the light of the wicked person will be put out; the spark of his fire will not shine
Bildad speaks of a wicked person dying as if his lamp were being blown out. Alternate translation: "What will happen is that the lives of wicked people like you end as quickly as we can put out a light or extinguish the flame of a fire" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
will be put out
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "will go out" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
Job 18:6
The light will be dark in his tent; his lamp above him will be put out
Bildad continues to speak of the wicked person dying. He speaks of the wicked man's life as if it were the light in his tent. Alternate translation: It will be like the light in his tent has turned to darkness, like the lamp above him has gone out" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
Job 18:7
General Information:
Bildad continues to describe the wicked person.
The steps of his strength will be made short
This speaks of the wicked person suddenly experiencing disaster as if he no longer had strength to walk. Alternate translation: "It will be like he no longer has the strength to walk" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
his own plans will cast him down
"his own advice makes him fall down." This speaks of the wicked person undergoing disaster as if he fell down. Alternate translation: "his own plans will lead him into disaster" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
Job 18:8
For he will be thrown into a net by his own feet; he will walk into a pitfall
"His own feet will lead him into a net." Bildad uses this image to say that the way that a wicked person lives his life leads him to sudden disaster. Alternate translation: "It will be as though he led himself into a net, as if he walked right into a pitfall" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
a net
cords or ropes that people weave together to create a mesh. People used nets to catch animals.
a pitfall
a pit that has branches and leaves over it so that an animal will walk onto the branches and leaves and fall into the pit
Job 18:9
General Information:
Bildad continues to speak and uses three parallel images to describe how suddenly the wicked person will experience disaster. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-parallelism)
A trap will take him ... a snare will
These four phrases speak of the wicked man experiencing disaster as if he were caught in a trap. Alternate translation: "It will be as though a trap will take him ... a snare will" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
A trap
People used this kind of trap to catch birds. The trap snapped shut and held on to the foot of the bird.
will take him by the heel
Here the "heel" refers to the whole foot. Alternate translation: "will take hold of his foot" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-synecdoche)
Job 18:10
A noose is ... and a trap for him in the way
These four phrases speak of the wicked man experiencing disaster as if he were caught in a trap. Alternate translation: "It will be as though a noose is ... and a trap for him in the way" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
A noose is hidden for him on the ground
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "Someone has hidden a noose on the ground in order to catch him" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
A noose
a rope with a loop that grabs hold of an animal's leg when the animal steps in the middle of the loop
a trap for him
The understood verbal phrase "is hidden" may be supplied. Alternate translation: "a trap is hidden on the path to catch him" or "someone will hide a trap to catch him in the way" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-ellipsis)
Job 18:11
Terrors will make him afraid on every side
"Terrors all around will make him afraid"
they will chase him at his heels
This speaks of the things that terrify the wicked person as if they were enemies who chased him. Alternate translation: "it will be as if the terrors will chase him all around" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-personification)
Job 18:12
General Information:
Bildad continues to describe the wicked person.
His wealth will turn into hunger
This speaks of the wicked man becoming poor and hungry as if his wealth were something that turned into something else. Alternate translation: "Instead of being wealthy, he will become poor and hungry" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
calamity will be ready at his side
The phrase "ready at his side" is an idiom that means that something is continually present. Alternate translation: "he will continually experience disaster" or "he will not be able to avoid calamity" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-idiom)
Job 18:13
The parts of his body will be devoured
This can be stated in active form. Also, this speaks of a disease destroying his body as if it were an animal that had attacked him and was eating him. Alternate translation: "Disease will eat away at his skin" or "Disease will destroy his skin" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
the firstborn of death will devour his parts
Here a disease that kills many people is referred to as "the firstborn of death." This speaks of that disease destroying his body as if it were an animal that had attacked him and was eating him. Alternate translation: "a deadly disease will destroy the different parts of his body" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
Job 18:14
General Information:
Bildad continues to describe the wicked person.
He is torn from the safety of his tent
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "Disaster rips him out of his tent, where he is safe" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
marched off
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "it marches him off" or "it forces him to go" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
the king of terrors
This is a reference to "King Death," a pagan god who was believed to rule over death. Alternate translation: "the one who rules over the dead" or "the king of death" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-explicit)
Job 18:15
People not his own
"People who are not his family"
after they see that sulfur is scattered within his home
People used sulfur to get rid of any diseases from a dying person. This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "after they spread sulfur all over his home" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
Job 18:16
General Information:
Bildad continues to describe the wicked person.
His roots will be dried up ... branch be cut off
This speaks of the wicked man dying and having no descendants as if he were a tree whose roots dried up and branches withered, producing no fruit. Alternate translation: "He will die and leave no descendants, he will be like a tree whose roots have dried up and whose branches have all withered" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
will his branch be cut off
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "his branches will wither" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
Job 18:17
His memory will perish from the earth; he will have no name in the street
These phrases have the same meaning and are used together to emphasize the fact that nobody will remember him after he dies. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-parallelism)
His memory will perish from the earth
This speaks of the "memory" of the wicked man as if it were a person who died. Alternate translation: "No one on the earth will remember him" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
he will have no name in the street
This is an idiom. Alternate translation: "no one walking along the street will even remember his name" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-idiom)
Job 18:18
General Information:
Bildad continues to describe the wicked person.
He will be driven from light into darkness ... and be chased out of this world
These phrases together emphasize the fact that the wicked person will be sent to Sheol, the place of the dead. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-parallelism)
He will be driven from light into darkness
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "God will drive the wicked person from light into darkness" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
from light into darkness
The word "light" refers to life, and the word "darkness" refers to death. Alternate translation: "from the light of life to the darkness of death" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
be chased out of this world
This speaks of God making him leave earth and go where dead people go as if he were chasing him. Alternate translation: "God will make him leave this world" or "God will send him to the place where dead people go" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
be chased out
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "God will chase him" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
Job 18:19
He has no offspring ... no survivor where he once lived
Together these two phrases emphasize that he will have no family or descendants left. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-parallelism)
Job 18:20
Those who live in the west ... those who live in the east will be frightened by it
The phrases "in the west" and "in the east" are together a merism that refers to all people living everywhere. This is an exaggeration as not everyone on the earth will hear about what happened to a specific wicked person. Alternate translation: "Everyone in the whole world will be horrified and frightened when they see what happens to the wicked person" or "Many people who live in the east and in the west will be horrified and frightened when they see what happens to the wicked person" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-merism and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-hyperbole)
one day
"someday"
Job 18:21
General Information:
Bildad continues to describe the wicked person.
the homes of unrighteous people, the places of those who do not know God
These two phrases have the same meaning and refer to the same people. Here these people are referred to by the places where they live. Alternate translation: "unrighteous people, those who do not know God" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-parallelism and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)