OET interlinear JOB 15:26

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

יָר֣וּץ אֵלָ֣י⁠ו בְּ⁠צַוָּ֑אר בַּ֝⁠עֲבִ֗י גַּבֵּ֥י מָֽגִנָּֽי⁠ו

rushes to=him/it (Some words not found in UHB: rushes to=him/it with,a_neck with,the_thickness_of studded_of his_shields_of,his )

Eliphaz is speaking as if a wicked person would literally attack God in this way. He is actually making a comparison to describe the arrogant confidence with which a wicked person defies God. If it would be clearer in your language, you could express this as a comparison rather than as a literal statement. Alternate translation: [He opposes God as if he were a warrior arrogantly attacking God, confident that his thick shield would protect him]

Note 2 topic: writing-pronouns

יָר֣וּץ אֵלָ֣י⁠ו

rushes to=him/it

The pronoun He refers to the wicked person, while the pronoun him refers to God. It may be helpful to clarify this for your readers. Alternate translation: [The wicked person rushes against God]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

בְּ⁠צַוָּ֑אר

(Some words not found in UHB: rushes to=him/it with,a_neck with,the_thickness_of studded_of his_shields_of,his )

This expression refers to the attitude of someone who is holding his neck straight and his head high, displaying arrogant confidence with his posture. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [arrogantly]

Note 4 topic: translate-unknown

בַּ֝⁠עֲבִ֗י גַּבֵּ֥י מָֽגִנָּֽי⁠ו

(Some words not found in UHB: rushes to=him/it with,a_neck with,the_thickness_of studded_of his_shields_of,his )

The word “boss” describes the outwardly rounded part of a shield. A warrior would face this part of the shield against an enemy, holding the shield by a handle inside the boss. If a shield had a thick boss, that would protect the warrior against blows from swords and spears, and it would also allow a warrior to use the shield to knock an opponent down and pin him to the ground. If your readers would not be familiar with what bosses of shields are, in your translation you could use a general expression. Alternate translation: [confident that he can use his thick shield to protect himself and attack his opponent]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / irony

בַּ֝⁠עֲבִ֗י

(Some words not found in UHB: rushes to=him/it with,a_neck with,the_thickness_of studded_of his_shields_of,his )

Eliphaz speaks in this verse of the thickness of the shield that the wicked person would use against God, but in the next verse he indicates that the wicked person is actually “fat” and so not in shape physically for combat. So while Eliphaz seems to suggest here that the wicked person is a formidable foe, he actually means the opposite of what he is saying, as the next verse reveals. To help your readers recognize this, if your language has a word that can mean both “thick” and “fat,” it would be appropriate to use that word here in your translation.

Note 6 topic: translate-plural

גַּבֵּ֥י מָֽגִנָּֽי⁠ו

(Some words not found in UHB: rushes to=him/it with,a_neck with,the_thickness_of studded_of his_shields_of,his )

By using the plural forms bosses and shields, Eliphaz seems to be portraying the wicked person as if he were an army or as if he were commanding an army. It may be more natural in your language to use singular forms. Alternate translation: [the boss of his shield]