JOB 4:17 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed for doing comparisons of different translations. Click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

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

OET (OET-RV) ‘Can a mortal human be innocent before God?
⇔ Can a person be more pure than the creator of people?‘[fn]

4:17 All speech marks in Bible translations are added by the translators. It’s not certain from the text whether or not this was what ‘the voice’ said, and if it is (as we assumed), it’s not clear where ‘the voice’ stopped speaking and Elifaz resumes. (Many translations put it at the end of the chapter, but remember that chapter breaks are also rather arbitrary and not in the original manuscripts.)

Key: khaki:verbs, blue:Elohim.
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 Τί γάρ; μὴ καθαρὸς ἔσται βροτὸς ἐναντίον τοῦ Κυρίου; ἢ ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ ἄμεμπτος ἀνήρ;
(Ti gar; maʸ katharos estai brotos enantion tou Kuriou; aʸ apo tōn ergōn autou amemptos anaʸr; )

BrTr What, shall a mortal be pure before the Lord? or a man be blameless in regard to his works?

ULT ‘Will a man be more righteous than God?
⇔ If a man will be more pure than his Maker?’

UST ‘No human being can be more righteous than God.
⇔ No person can be better than his Creator.

BSB ⇔ ‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God,
⇔ or a man more pure than his Maker?

OEB "Can mortal be just before God,
⇔ Or a man clean before his Creator?

WEBBE ‘Shall mortal man be more just than God?
⇔ Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?

WMBB (Same as above)

NET “Is a mortal man righteous before God?
⇔ Or a man pure before his Creator?

LSV Is mortal man more righteous than God? Is a man cleaner than his Maker?

FBV ‘Can anyone be right before God? Can anyone be pure before their Maker?

T4T ‘◄Does God consider anyone to be righteous?/No human beings can be righteous in God’s sight!► [RHQ]
⇔ ◄Their creator cannot consider them to be pure./Can their creator consider them to be pure?► [RHQ]

LEB • or can a man be more pure than his Maker?

BBE May a man be upright before God? or a man be clean before his Maker?

Moff No Moff JOB book available

JPS 'Shall mortal man be just before God? Shall a man be pure before his Maker?

ASV Shall mortal man be more just than God?
⇔ Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?

DRA Shall man be justified in comparison of God, or shall a man be more pure than his maker?

YLT 'Is mortal man than God more righteous? Than his Maker is a man cleaner?

Drby Shall [mortal] man be more just than [fn]God? Shall a man be purer than his Maker?

4.17 Eloah

RV Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his Maker?

Wbstr Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?

KJB-1769 Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?

KJB-1611 Shall mortall man be more iust then God? shall a man bee more pure then his maker?
(Shall mortall man be more just then God? shall a man be more pure then his maker?)

Bshps Shall man be more iust then God? or shall a man be purer then his maker?
(Shall man be more just then God? or shall a man be purer then his maker?)

Gnva Shall man be more iust then God? or shall a man be more pure then his maker?
(Shall man be more just then God? or shall a man be more pure then his maker? )

Cvdl Maye a man be iustified before God? Maye there eny man be iudged to be clene, by reason of his owne workes?
(May a man be justified before God? May there any man be judged to be clene, by reason of his own works?)

Wycl Whether a man schal be maad iust in comparisoun of God? ethir whethir a man schal be clennere than his Makere?
(Whether a man shall be made just in comparisoun of God? ethir whether a man shall be clennere than his Makere?)

Luth Wie mag ein Mensch gerechter sein denn GOtt, oder ein Mann reiner sein, denn der ihn gemacht hat?
(How like a person gerechter his because God, or a man reiner sein, because the/of_the him/it made has?)

ClVg Numquid homo, Dei comparatione, justificabitur? aut factore suo purior erit vir?[fn]
(Is_it homo, of_God comparatione, justificabitur? aut factore his_own purior will_be vir? )

4.17 Nunquid homo comparatione Dei justificabitur? Hoc in contemplatione novit, quod justitia humana divinæ comparata injustitia, ut quæ lucerna in tenebris lucet, in sole caligat: quod potuit, quia qui lucem videt, scit quid de tenebris æstimet. Aut factore suo purior? Ibid. Hoc æstimat qui contra flagellantem murmurat. Sed debet scire, quia impie non flagellat, qui mira ex nihil fecit, et conditor naturæ non est iniquus judex culpæ. Etsi iste injuste Job redarguit, recte tamen modum creaturæ in comparatione Creatoris describit. Puriorem ergo se vir factore suo æstimat, si contra flagellum querelam parat, eumque sibi procul dubio postponit, cum ejus judicium de sua afflictione redarguit Ecce qui serviunt ei. IDEM. Angelus etsi in statu suo immutabilis permanet, in hoc tamen quod creatura est, vicissitudinem mutabilitatis habet, et ita stabilis non est. Si enim natura hæc mutabilis non esset, cum esset bene condita, in nullis cecidisset. Sed ex arbitrio habuit ruere vel stare, et in stantibus meritum fuit, motum mutabilitatis suæ, studio voluntatis fixisse. Hoc mutabilitatis argumentum est quod de apostata subdit: Et in angelis suis reperit pravitatem. Ex quorum comparatione infirmitas humana colligitur. Quanto magis hi qui habitant domos luteas. GREG. Id est terrena corpora, etc., usque ad conspiciunt curis sæculi occupati; unde subdit:

4.17 Nunquid human comparatione of_God justificabitur? This in contemplatione novit, that justitia humana divinæ comparata injustitia, as which lucerna in darkness lucet, in sole caligat: that potuit, because who the_light videt, scit quid about darkness æstimet. Aut factore his_own purior? Ibid. This æstimat who on_the_contrary flagellantem murmurat. But debet scire, because impie not/no flagellat, who mira from nihil fecit, and conditor naturæ not/no it_is iniquus yudex culpæ. Etsi this injuste Yob redarguit, recte tamen modum creaturæ in comparatione Creatoris describit. Puriorem therefore se man factore his_own æstimat, when/but_if on_the_contrary flagellum querelam parat, eumque sibi procul dubio postponit, when/with his yudicium about his_own afflictione redarguit Behold who serviunt to_him. IDEM. Angelus etsi in statu his_own immutabilis permanet, in this tamen that creatura it_is, vicissitudinem mutabilitatis habet, and ita stabilis not/no it_is. When/But_if because natura these_things mutabilis not/no esset, when/with was bene condita, in nullis cecidisset. But from arbitrio habuit ruere or to_stand, and in stantibus meritum fuit, motum mutabilitatis suæ, studio voluntatis fixisse. This mutabilitatis argumentum it_is that about apostata subdit: And in angelis to_his_own reperit pravitatem. From quorum comparatione infirmitas humana colligitur. Quanto magis hi who habitant domos luteas. GREG. That it_is terrena corpora, etc., until to conspiciunt curis sæculi occupati; whence subdit:

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / quotesinquotes

הַֽ֭⁠אֱנוֹשׁ מֵ⁠אֱל֣וֹהַ יִצְדָּ֑ק אִ֥ם מֵ֝⁠עֹשֵׂ֗⁠הוּ יִטְהַר־גָּֽבֶר

?,mortal before,God righteous if more_~_than,maker,his pure man

If it would be clearer in your language, you could translate this so that there is not a quotation within a quotation. It may be helpful to begin a new sentence here. Alternate translation: “The spirit asked whether a man could be more righteous than God, if a man could be more pure than his Maker.”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

הַֽ֭⁠אֱנוֹשׁ מֵ⁠אֱל֣וֹהַ יִצְדָּ֑ק אִ֥ם מֵ֝⁠עֹשֵׂ֗⁠הוּ יִטְהַר־גָּֽבֶר

?,mortal before,God righteous if more_~_than,maker,his pure man

In both of these sentences, Eliphaz is using the question form for emphasis. If you would not use the question form for this purpose in your language, you could translate these questions as statements or exclamations. Alternate translation: “A man cannot be more righteous than God! A man cannot be more pure than his Maker!”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

הַֽ֭⁠אֱנוֹשׁ

?,mortal

The term that Eliphaz is using for man here implicitly means a “mortal.” You can indicate this in your translation if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: “a mortal”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

אִ֥ם מֵ֝⁠עֹשֵׂ֗⁠הוּ יִטְהַר־גָּֽבֶר

if more_~_than,maker,his pure man

Eliphaz is using the word If to introduce a question that anticipates a negative answer. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate this in your translation. Alternate translation: “A man cannot be more pure than his Maker, can he?”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

הַֽ֭⁠אֱנוֹשׁ & גָּֽבֶר

?,mortal & man

In each instance, the masculine term man has generic sense that includes both men and women. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could use language in your translation that is clearly inclusive of both men and women. Alternate translation: “a person … a person”

Parallel JOB 4:17