OET interlinear JOB 20:4

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

הֲ⁠זֹ֣את יָ֭דַעְתָּ מִנִּי־עַ֑ד מִנִּ֤י שִׂ֖ים אָדָ֣ם עֲלֵי־אָֽרֶץ

?,this know from until since placed humankind on earth

Zophar is using the question form for emphasis. (The question continues into the next verse.) If you would not use the question form for that purpose in your language, you could translate this as a statement or as an exclamation. Alternate translation: “Surely you are aware of this from long ago, from the placing of man upon the earth”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche

הֲ⁠זֹ֣את יָ֭דַעְתָּ מִנִּי־עַ֑ד מִנִּ֤י שִׂ֖ים אָדָ֣ם עֲלֵי־אָֽרֶץ

?,this know from until since placed humankind on earth

Zophar is speaking as if Job himself should have known from long ago what he is about to say. He means that Job is one member of the human community that has known this for as long as it has existed. As a member of that community, Job should know it because it has been passed down to him through traditional wisdom. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “Surely you are aware of this traditional wisdom that we have received from our earliest ancestors”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche

מִנִּ֤י שִׂ֖ים אָדָ֣ם עֲלֵי־אָֽרֶץ

since placed humankind on earth

Zophar is using one thing that God did when he created people, placing them on the earth, to mean all that God did in creating people. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “ever since God created man”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

מִנִּ֤י שִׂ֖ים אָדָ֣ם עֲלֵי־אָֽרֶץ

since placed humankind on earth

Here the masculine term man has a generic sense that includes both men and women. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could use language in your translation that is clearly inclusive of both men and women. Alternate translation: “ever since God created people”