JOB 3:21 Parallel View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible. This view is only designed for doing comparisons of different translations. Click on the version abbreviation to see the verse in more of its context.

Key: yellow:verbs, red:negative.
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 ones longing for death, but it is not to them,
⇔ and they dig for it more than for hidden treasure,

UST They long to die, but they do not die.
⇔ They desire to die more than people desire to find buried treasure.

BSB who long for death that does not come,
⇔ and search for it like hidden treasure,

OEB Such as long for death, but it comes not,
⇔ And dig for it more than for treasure,

WEB who long for death, but it doesn’t come;
⇔ and dig for it more than for hidden treasures,

NET to those who wait for death that does not come,
 ⇔ and search for it
 ⇔ more than for hidden treasures,

LSV Who are waiting for death, and it is not,
And they seek it above hid treasures.

FBV those who are waiting for death that does not come and who are looking for death more desperately than hunting for treasure?

T4T They long/want to die, but they do not die.
⇔ They desire to die more than people desire to find a hidden treasure.

LEB • [fn][fn] and search[fn] for it more than for treasures,

?:? Hebrew “and”

?:? Literally “it is not”

?:? Or “dig”

BBE To those whose desire is for death, but it comes not; who are searching for it more than for secret wealth;

MOF No MOF JOB book available

JPS Who long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;

ASV Who long for death, but it cometh not,
 ⇔ And dig for it more than for hid treasures;

DRA That look for death, and it cometh not, as they that dig for a treasure:

YLT Who are waiting for death, and it is not, And they seek it above hid treasures.

DBY Who long for death, and it [cometh] not, and dig for it more than for hidden treasures;

RV Which long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;

WBS Who long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;

KJB Which long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;[fn]
(Which long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;)

3.21 long: Heb. wait

BB Whiche long for death and finde it not, though they search more for it than for treasures:
(Which long for death and find it not, though they search more for it than for treasures:)

GNV Which long for death, and if it come not, they would euen search it more then treasures:
(Which long for death, and if it come not, they would even search it more then treasures: )

CB (Which longe for death, and it commeth not: for yf they might fynde their graue,
((Which long for death, and it cometh/comes not: for if they might find their graue,)

WYC Whiche abiden deeth, and it cometh not;
(Which abiden death, and it cometh/comes not;)

LUT (die des Todes warten und kommt nicht, und grüben ihn wohl aus dem Verborgenen,
((die the Todes warten and kommt not, and grüben him/it wohl out of to_him Verborgenen,)

CLV qui expectant mortem, et non venit, quasi effodientes thesaurum;[fn]
(who expectant mortem, and not/no venit, as_if effodientes thesaurum;)

3.21 Qui exspectant mortem. Ibid. Id est, penitus se mundo mortificare desiderant, sed occulto Dei judicio non venit, quia occupari injunctis honoribus compelluntur, quod Dei timore tolerant; et intus est desiderium pietatis, et foris explent ministerium ordinis, ne per superbiam contradicant Dei dispositioni: et sic et multis prosunt, et quo se imperfectos vident, per humilitatem amplius surgunt: et quod a desideriis differuntur, ipsa tarditate ad eadem dilatantur: unde addit, quasi effodientes, etc. Quasi effodientes thesaurum. Quia qui thesaurum fodiendo quærit, etc., usque ad exempla contemplationis invenit, unde dives sit.

3.21 Who exspectant mortem. Ibid. Id it_is, penitus se mundo mortificare desiderant, but occulto Dei yudicio not/no venit, because occupari inyunctis honoribus compelluntur, that Dei timore tolerant; and intus it_is desiderium pietatis, and foris explent ministerium ordinis, ne per superbiam contradicant Dei dispositioni: and so and multis prosunt, and quo se imperfectos vident, per humilitatem amplius surgunt: and that a desideriis differuntur, ipsa tarditate to eadem dilatantur: whence addit, as_if effodientes, etc. Quasi effodientes thesaurum. Quia who thesaurum fodiendo quærit, etc., usque to exempla contemplationis invenit, whence dives sit.

BRN who desire death, and obtain it not, digging for it as for treasures;

BrLXX οἳ ἱμείρονται τοῦ θανάτου, καὶ οὐ τυγχάνουσιν ἀνορύσσοντες ὥσπερ θησαυροὺς,
(hoi himeirontai tou thanatou, kai ou tugⱪanousin anorussontes hōsper thaʸsaurous, )

TTN Tyndale Theme Notes:

Complaints

The Bible generally depicts complaining as wrong. For example, God judged the Israelites for grumbling about their hardships in the wilderness (Num 14:27-37). Job complained mightily and earned God’s rebuke for it, yet God ultimately confirmed Job’s righteousness and rejected those who tried to stop him from complaining (Job 42:7-8).

Job’s fundamental complaint was that God did not give him a fair hearing to demonstrate his innocence. Job’s friends attacked him for trying to vindicate himself, but God upheld Job’s innocence. In a gracious but firm act of self-revelation, God rebuked Job for his overreaching self-defense and implied criticism of God’s fairness. God shifted Job’s focus away from his troubles and toward God himself (Job 38–41).

Scripture admonishes us to rejoice and give thanks in all situations (Eph 5:20; Phil 4:4; 1 Thes 5:16-18). It also calls us to endure through suffering and to persist in prayer (Jas 5:10-18). If we do want to complain in prayer, we should follow the pattern of the psalms, which lead us past ourselves and back to God (see, e.g., Ps 13). Job’s positive example (Jas 5:11) is not so much in how he responded to his troubles or to his comforters but in how he responded to God (Job 40:3-5; 42:1-6). In the midst of difficult and confusing situations that may precipitate a desire to complain, we can still acknowledge the sovereignty and goodness of God.

Passages for Further Study

Gen 4:13-14; Exod 16:2-18; Num 14:27-37; 1 Kgs 19:3-18; Job 3:1-26; 6:1–7:21; Pss 38; 39; 44; 73; Jer 20:14-18; Jon 4:1-11; Matt 27:46; John 6:41-59; 1 Cor 10:1-10; Eph 5:20; Phil 2:14-15; Jas 5:9-11

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

הַֽ⁠מְחַכִּ֣ים לַ⁠מָּ֣וֶת וְ⁠אֵינֶ֑⁠נּוּ וַֽ֝⁠יַּחְפְּרֻ֗⁠הוּ מִ⁠מַּטְמוֹנִֽים

the,long for_the,death and=not_existing=he and,dig_for,it more_than,hidden_treasures

This is a continuation of the question that Job is asking in verses 20–23, using the question form for emphasis. If you would not use the question form for this purpose in your language, you could translate this as the next statement or exclamation in a series. Alternate translation: “Life should not be given to people who long to die but who cannot die, who dig for death more than for hidden treasures!” or “God should not give life to people who long to die but who cannot die, who dig for death more than for hidden treasures!”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וַֽ֝⁠יַּחְפְּרֻ֗⁠הוּ מִ⁠מַּטְמוֹנִֽים

and,dig_for,it more_than,hidden_treasures

Job is speaking as if very unhappy people literally dig for death more eagerly than they would dig to find hidden treasures. He means that they want to die more than they want anything else. If it would be clearer in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “who want to die more than they want anything else”

Parallel JOB 3:21