OET interlinear JOB 29:24

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: writing-pronouns

אֶשְׂחַ֣ק אֲ֭לֵ⁠הֶם לֹ֣א יַאֲמִ֑ינוּ

smiled on,them not had_~_confidence

The pronouns them and they refer to people who were in desperate situations and did not believe that they would get justice or receive help. Alternate translation: “I smiled on people who felt desperate and hopeless”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche

אֶשְׂחַ֣ק אֲ֭לֵ⁠הֶם לֹ֣א יַאֲמִ֑ינוּ

smiled on,them not had_~_confidence

Job is describing one thing he did to encourage despondent people, he smiled on them, to mean all that he did to encourage them. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “I encouraged people who felt desperate and hopeless”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וְ⁠א֥וֹר פָּ֝נַ֗⁠י לֹ֣א יַפִּילֽוּ⁠ן

and,light face,my not extinguish,

Job is speaking as if there had been light shining from his face. He is describing a cheerful facial expression that indicated hope and a favorable disposition. Job is also using a further characteristic image for facial expressions. In this culture, people would say that someone “lifted up” his face if he made a cheerful expression but that his face “fell” if he made a gloomy expression. Job means that he did not let the situations of the people he wanted to help discourage him. Job is combining the two images and saying that they did not cause the light of his face to fall. If it would be clearer in your language, you could use a different image that has this meaning or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “and I did not let their situations discourage me”