OET interlinear JOB 29:23

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

וְ⁠יִֽחֲל֣וּ כַ⁠מָּטָ֣ר לִ֑⁠י

and,waited as_for_the,rain to=me

The point of this comparison is that just as people are eager for rain to fall and water their crops, so Job’s listeners were eager to hear him speak. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make this point explicitly. Alternate translation: “And people as waited eagerly to hear me speak as they wait for rain to fall on their crops”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וּ֝⁠פִי⁠הֶ֗ם פָּעֲר֥וּ לְ⁠מַלְקֽוֹשׁ

and,mouths,their opened as_for,spring_rain

Job is using a complex image here. First, he is speaking as if the people listening to him were literally the ground. Second, he is speaking of the ground soaking up rainfall as if it were opening its mouth to drink water. Job does not mean that the people opened their mouths to speak; he is actually describing them listening. If it would be clearer in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. It may be helpful to begin a new sentence here. Alternate translation: “Yes, they were eager to listen to everything I said, just as the dry ground soaks up the latter rain when it falls”

Note 3 topic: translate-unknown

לְ⁠מַלְקֽוֹשׁ

as_for,spring_rain

In the region where the book of Job was composed, people would plant crops in the fall. Rain at that time would help the crops start growing. But farmers depended on later rains, which would fall in the spring after an interval during which little rain fell, to enable the crops grow to maturity. Express this in a way that would be meaningful to your readers. Alternate translation: “as for the rain that falls again after the dry season”