JOB 11:8 Parallel View

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The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

OET (OET-RV) What can you do to the height of the sky?
 ⇔ What do you know that’s deeper than the grave?

Key: yellow:verbs.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT The height of the heavens! What will you do?
⇔ Deeper than Sheol! What will you know?

UST God’s wisdom is so much greater than ours,
⇔ it is as if it is higher than the sky.
⇔ So there is nothing you can do to understand it all.
 ⇔ It is as if God’s wisdom is deeper below the earth
⇔ than the place where dead people go.
⇔ So it is impossible for you to know it all.

BSB They are higher than the heavens—what can you do?
⇔ They are deeper than Sheol—what can you know?

OEB It is higher than heaven – what canst thou?
⇔ Deeper than Sheol – what knowest thou?

WEB They are high as heaven. What can you do?
⇔ They are deeper than Sheol.[fn] What can you know?

11:8 Sheol is the place of the dead.

NET It is higher than the heavens – what can you do?
 ⇔ It is deeper than Sheol – what can you know?

LSV Heights of the heavens—what [can] you do? Deeper than Sheol—what [can] you know?

FBV It is greater than the heavens—what can you do? It is deeper than Sheol[fn]—what can you know?

11:8 Sheol: the underworld, the place of the dead.

T4T What there is to know about God is greater than the distance from earth to heaven;
⇔ so there is no way [RHQ] that you can understand it all.
 ⇔ It is greater than the distance from here to the place of the dead;
⇔ so it is impossible for you [RHQ] to know it all.

LEB • [fn] what can you do? It is deeper than Sheol; what can you know?

?:? Literally “heights of heaven”

BBE They are higher than heaven; what is there for you to do? deeper than the underworld, and outside your knowledge;

MOF No MOF JOB book available

JPS It is high as heaven; what canst thou do? Deeper than the nether-world; what canst thou know?

ASV It is high as heaven; what canst thou do?
 ⇔ Deeper than Sheol; what canst thou know?

DRA He is higher than heaven, and what wilt thou do? he is deeper than hell, and how wilt thou know?

YLT Heights of the heavens! — what dost thou? Deeper than Sheol! — what knowest thou?

DBY [It is as] the heights of heaven; what wilt thou do? deeper than Sheol; what canst thou know?

RV It is high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than Sheol; what canst thou know?

WBS It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?

KJB It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?[fn]
(It is as high as heaven; what canst thou/you do? deeper than hell; what canst thou/you know?)

11.8 as high…: Heb. the heights of heaven

BB It is hier then heauen, what art thou able to do? deeper then the hel, how wilt thou then knowe it?
(It is hier then heaven, what art thou/you able to do? deeper then the hel, how wilt/will thou/you then know it?)

GNV The heauens are hie, what canst thou doe? it is deeper then the hell, how canst thou know it?
(The heavens are hie, what canst thou/you do? it is deeper then the hell, how canst thou/you know it? )

CB He is hyer the heaue, what wilt thou do? Deper the hell, how wilt thou then knowe him?
(He is hyer the heaue, what wilt/will thou/you do? Deper the hell, how wilt/will thou/you then know him?)

WYC He is hiyere than heuene, and what schalt thou do? he is deppere than helle, and wherof schalt thou knowe?
(He is hiyere than heaven, and what shalt thou/you do? he is deppere than helle, and wherof shalt thou/you know?)

LUT Er ist höher denn der Himmel; was willst du tun? tiefer denn die Hölle; was kannst du wissen?
(Er is höher because the heaven; was willst you tun? tiefer because the hell; was kannst you wissen?)

CLV Excelsior cælo est, et quid facies? profundior inferno, et unde cognosces?[fn]
(Excelsior cælo it_is, and quid facies? profundior inferno, and whence cognosces?)

11.8 Excelsior. Quia in circumscriptione sui spiritus cuncta transcendit. Profundior inferno. Quia transcendendo subvehit.

BRN Heaven is high; and what wilt thou do? and there are deeper things than those in hell; what dost thou know?

BrLXX Ὑψηλὸς ὁ οὐρανὸς, καὶ τί ποιήσεις; βαθύτερα δὲ τῶν ἐν ᾅδου, τί οἶδας;
(Hupsaʸlos ho ouranos, kai ti poiaʸseis? bathutera de tōn en ᾅdou, ti oidas? )

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

גָּבְהֵ֣י שָׁ֭מַיִם מַה־תִּפְעָ֑ל עֲמֻקָּ֥ה מִ֝⁠שְּׁא֗וֹל מַה־תֵּדָֽע

higher heavens what? do deeper than,sheol what? know

Zophar is leaving out some of the words that in many languages a sentence would need in order to be complete. You can supply these words from the context if that would be clearer in your language. Alternate translation: “The height of God’s wisdom is the same as the height of the heavens! What will you do to understand it? The depth of God’s wisdom is deeper than Sheol! What will you know about it?”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / merism

גָּבְהֵ֣י שָׁ֭מַיִם מַה־תִּפְעָ֑ל עֲמֻקָּ֥ה מִ֝⁠שְּׁא֗וֹל מַה־תֵּדָֽע

higher heavens what? do deeper than,sheol what? know

Zophar is using the highest and lowest points of creation, the heavens and Sheol, to mean them and everything in between, that is, all of creation. This could mean: (1) that God’s wisdom is completely comprehensive, as if it were literally very high and very deep. Alternate translation: “God’s wisdom is completely comprehensive! What will you do? What will you know?” (2) that God’s wisdom comprehends everything in creation. Alternate translation: “God’s wisdom comprehends all of creation! What will you do? What will you know?”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

מַה־תִּפְעָ֑ל & מַה־תֵּדָֽע

what? do & what? know

Job is using the question form for emphasis. If you would not use the question form for that purpose in your language, you could translate these questions as statements or as exclamations. Alternate translation: “You cannot do anything to understand God’s wisdom! … You cannot know very much about it!”

Parallel JOB 11:8