OET interlinear JOB 26:4

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

אֶת־מִ֭י הִגַּ֣דְתָּ מִלִּ֑ין וְ⁠נִשְׁמַת־מִ֝י יָצְאָ֥ה מִמֶּֽ⁠ךָּ

DOM who? (Some words not found in UHB: DOM who? uttered words/messages and,the_breath_of who? come_forth from,you )

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 this as a statement or as an exclamation. Alternate translation: [Someone must have helped you declare those words! Someone else’s breath must have come out from you!]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

אֶת־מִ֭י הִגַּ֣דְתָּ מִלִּ֑ין וְ⁠נִשְׁמַת־מִ֝י יָצְאָ֥ה מִמֶּֽ⁠ךָּ

DOM who? (Some words not found in UHB: DOM who? uttered words/messages and,the_breath_of who? come_forth from,you )

Job is implying that God must have helped Bildad speak, although he does not really mean it (see next note). You could indicate that in your translation if it would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [God must have helped you declare those words! God’s own breath must have come out from you!]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / irony

אֶת־מִ֭י הִגַּ֣דְתָּ מִלִּ֑ין וְ⁠נִשְׁמַת־מִ֝י יָצְאָ֥ה מִמֶּֽ⁠ךָּ

DOM who? (Some words not found in UHB: DOM who? uttered words/messages and,the_breath_of who? come_forth from,you )

For emphasis, Job is continuing to say the opposite of what he means. If a speaker of your language would not do this, in your translation you could indicate what Job actually means. Alternate translation: [You are merely sharing human opinions! You have no divinely granted insights!]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

אֶת־מִ֭י הִגַּ֣דְתָּ מִלִּ֑ין

DOM who? (Some words not found in UHB: DOM who? uttered words/messages and,the_breath_of who? come_forth from,you )

Job is using the term words to mean what Bildad has just said by using words. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [God must have helped you say what you did!] or, showing that Job is saying the opposite of what he means, [What you said was merely your own human opinion]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

וְ⁠נִשְׁמַת־מִ֝י יָצְאָ֥ה מִמֶּֽ⁠ךָּ

(Some words not found in UHB: DOM who? uttered words/messages and,the_breath_of who? come_forth from,you )

The word translated breath can also mean “spirit,” so this could mean: (1) that Job is making a parallel statement to the first part of the verse, using the breath that comes out of a person’s mouth while he is speaking to mean the act of speaking itself. Alternate translation: [And who was speaking with you as you spoke] or [And who enabled you to speak so well] or [It is certainly not as if God was helping you speak!]; (2) that Job is suggesting (while meaning the opposite of what he is saying) that an angel or God’s Spirit must have inspired Bildad to say what he did. Alternate translation: [And what spirit inspired you to speak so well] or [And was it not God’s Spirit who inspired you to speak so well]