JOB 3:20 Parallel Verse View

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Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

BrLXX Ἱνατί γὰρ δέδοται τοῖς ἐν πικρίᾳ φῶς; ζωὴ δὲ ταῖς ἐν ὀδύναις ψυχαῖς,
(Hinati gar dedotai tois en pikria fōs; zōaʸ de tais en odunais psuⱪais, )

BrTr For why is light given to those who are in bitterness, and life to the souls which are in griefs?

UST God should not allow those who are suffering greatly like me to continue to remain alive!
⇔ God should not allow those who are very miserable to live!

BSB ⇔ Why is light given to the miserable,
⇔ and life to the bitter of soul,

OEB Why is light given to the wretched,
⇔ And life to the bitter in soul,

WEBBE ⇔ “Why is light given to him who is in misery,
⇔ life to the bitter in soul,

WMBB (Same as above)

NET “Why does God give light to one who is in misery,
⇔ and life to those whose soul is bitter,

LSV Why does He give light to the miserable, and life to the bitter soul?

FBV Why does God give life to those who are suffering, living bitterly miserable lives,

T4T ⇔ ◄“Why does God allow those who are suffering greatly like me to continue to remain alive?/I do not understand why God allows those who are suffering greatly like me to continue to remain alive.► [RHQ]
⇔ Why does he allow those who are very miserable/distressed to keep living [RHQ]?

LEB • [fn] give light to one in misery and life to those bitter of soul,

3:2 Most likely God

BBE Why does he give light to him who is in trouble, and life to the bitter in soul;

Moff No Moff JOB book available

JPS Wherewith is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul —

ASV ⇔ Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery,
⇔ And life unto the bitter in soul;

DRA Why is light given to him that is in misery, and life to them that are in bitterness of soul?

YLT Why giveth He to the miserable light, and life to the bitter soul?

Drby Wherefore is light given to him that is in trouble, and life to those bitter of soul,

RV Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul;

Wbstr Why is light given to him that is in misery, and life to the bitter in soul;

KJB-1769 Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul;

KJB-1611 Wherefore is light giuen to him that is in misery, and life vnto the bitter in soule?
(Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soule?)

Bshps Wherefore is the light geuen to hym that is in miserie? & lyfe vnto them that haue heauy heartes?
(Wherefore is the light given to him that is in miserie? and life unto them that have heavy hearts?)

Gnva Wherefore is the light giuen to him that is in miserie? and life vnto them that haue heauie hearts?
(Wherefore is the light given to him that is in miserie? and life unto them that have heavy hearts? )

Cvdl Wherfore is the light geuen, to him that is in mysery? and life vnto them, that haue heuy hertes?
(Wherefore is the light given, to him that is in mysery? and life unto them, that have heuy hearts?)

Wycl Whi is liyt youun to the wretche, and lijf to hem that ben in bitternesse of soule?
(Whi is light given to the wretche, and life to them that been in bitterness of soule?)

Luth Warum ist das Licht gegeben dem Mühseligen und das Leben den betrübten Herzen,
(Warum is the light given to_him Mühseligen and the life the betrübten hearts,)

ClVg Quare misero data est lux, et vita his qui in amaritudine animæ sunt:[fn]
(Quare misero data it_is light, and vita his who in amaritudine animæ are: )

3.20 Quare misero data est lux? GREG. in lib. Job lib. 5. Contemplatus requiem, ubi liber a Domino despicit sæculi prospera, quæ ab ea retrahunt. Quare misero data est lux, id est, prosperitas in peregrinationis miseria: quia, si non justum penitus opprimit, tamen mentem in amorem Dei et in dispensatione sui dividit; unde addit: Et vita his qui, etc. Amaritudo est omni justo, etc., usque ad vel in regimine præesse.

3.20 Quare misero data it_is light? GREG. in lib. Yob lib. 5. Contemplatus requiem, where liber from Master despicit sæculi prospera, which away ea retrahunt. Quare misero data it_is light, id it_is, prosperitas in peregrinationis miseria: quia, when/but_if not/no justum penitus opprimit, tamen mentem in amorem of_God and in dispensatione sui dividit; whence addit: And vita his qui, etc. Amaritudo it_is all justo, etc., until to or in regimine præesse.

TTN Tyndale Theme Notes:

Complaints

The Bible generally depicts complaining as wrong. For example, God judged the Israelites for grumbling about their hardships in the wilderness (Num 14:27-37). Job complained mightily and earned God’s rebuke for it, yet God ultimately confirmed Job’s righteousness and rejected those who tried to stop him from complaining (Job 42:7-8).

Job’s fundamental complaint was that God did not give him a fair hearing to demonstrate his innocence. Job’s friends attacked him for trying to vindicate himself, but God upheld Job’s innocence. In a gracious but firm act of self-revelation, God rebuked Job for his overreaching self-defense and implied criticism of God’s fairness. God shifted Job’s focus away from his troubles and toward God himself (Job 38–41).

Scripture admonishes us to rejoice and give thanks in all situations (Eph 5:20; Phil 4:4; 1 Thes 5:16-18). It also calls us to endure through suffering and to persist in prayer (Jas 5:10-18). If we do want to complain in prayer, we should follow the pattern of the psalms, which lead us past ourselves and back to God (see, e.g., Ps 13). Job’s positive example (Jas 5:11) is not so much in how he responded to his troubles or to his comforters but in how he responded to God (Job 40:3-5; 42:1-6). In the midst of difficult and confusing situations that may precipitate a desire to complain, we can still acknowledge the sovereignty and goodness of God.

Passages for Further Study

Gen 4:13-14; Exod 16:2-18; Num 14:27-37; 1 Kgs 19:3-18; Job 3:1-26; 6:1–7:21; Pss 38; 39; 44; 73; Jer 20:14-18; Jon 4:1-11; Matt 27:46; John 6:41-59; 1 Cor 10:1-10; Eph 5:20; Phil 2:14-15; Jas 5:9-11

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

לָ֤⁠מָּה יִתֵּ֣ן לְ⁠עָמֵ֣ל א֑וֹר וְ֝⁠חַיִּ֗ים לְ⁠מָ֣רֵי נָֽפֶשׁ

to/for=what he/it_gave to,one_in_misery light and,life to,bitter soul

This is the beginning of a long question that Job asks, using the question form for emphasis, in verses 20–23. If you would not use the question form for this purpose in your language, you could translate these verses as a series of statements or exclamations. Alternate translation: “Light should not be given to the miserable! Life should not be given to the bitter in soul!”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

לָ֤⁠מָּה יִתֵּ֣ן & א֑וֹר

to/for=what he/it_gave & light

If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. If you need to say who does the action, the context suggests that it is God. Alternate translation: “Why does God give light”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

א֑וֹר

light

Job is referring to life by association with the light that people who are alive are able to see. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression or express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “life”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / nominaladj

לְ⁠עָמֵ֣ל & לְ⁠מָ֣רֵי נָֽפֶשׁ

to,one_in_misery & to,bitter soul

Job is using the adjectives miserable and bitter as nouns to mean certain kinds of people. Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you can translate these words with equivalent phrases. Alternate translation: “to people who are miserable … to people who are bitter in soul”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

וְ֝⁠חַיִּ֗ים

and,life

Job is leaving out some of the words that in many languages a sentence would need in order to be complete. You can supply these words from the context if that would be clearer in your language. Alternate translation: “and why is life given” or “and why does God give life”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

לְ⁠מָ֣רֵי נָֽפֶשׁ

to,bitter soul

This expression describes people who are bitter or unhappy in the depths of their beings. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “to people who are deeply unhappy”

Parallel JOB 3:20