UTN uW Translation Notes:

Job 26 General Notes

Structure and Formatting

This chapter begins a long response by Job first to Bildad’s last speech and then to the friends in general. Bildad had spoken briefly of the greatness of God. Job shows that he is a truly godly man who appreciates God’s greatness by describing it in this chapter at greater length and in more eloquent language. Job told the friends in 12:3 that he had just as much wisdom as they did, and he demonstrates that in this chapter.The ULT sets the lines of this chapter farther to the right on the page than the rest of the text because it is poetry.

Important Figures of Speech in This Chapter

Litany

In verses 7–9, Job makes a series of statements about God that have a similar form. A series of statements such as this is known as a litany. If your readers would recognize what Job is doing, you can translate and format this litany the way the ULT does. If the litany form would not be familiar to your readers, you could help them appreciate it by putting each sentence of the litany on a separate line. See what you did with the similar litany in chapter 12. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could make each verse in the litany a separate sentence. For example, you could begin verse 7, “God stretches out.” Notes to verses 7–9 offer further suggestions.

Translation Issues in This Chapter

Reference of “he,” “him,” and “his”

The pronouns “he,” “him,” and “his” all refer to God throughout this chapter. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could specify the referent and say “God” or “God’s” at regular intervals for clarity.