UTN uW Translation Notes:

Job 37 General Notes

Structure and Formatting

This is the conclusion of Elihu’s speech. Elihu continues to use the storm that is gathering and approaching to describe God’s great power. He concludes by telling Job that he should not expect to be able to speak with such a powerful God.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.

Translation Issues in This Chapter

singular “you” in verses 15–19

The pronoun “you” and the implied “you” in imperative verbs are singular in verses 15–19 because Elihu is addressing Job. If your language marks a distinction between singular and plural “you,” use singular forms in your translation.

The nature of the questions in verses 15–18

Elihu asks Job a series of questions in verses 15–18. He may want Job to try to answer these questions so that Job will have to admit that he does not understand what God does. So these could be actual questions that Elihu is using to get information, specifically, these admissions from Job. Alternatively, Elihu may be using the question form for emphasis. A note to verse 15 suggests two possible ways in which you could translate the question there. Consider the most appropriate way to translate each of the questions in verses 15–18.