Naked I came from my mother’s womb: in verse 20 Job expresses his worship in poetic form. The poetic effect is gained by the contrast of “came” and “return” in the first two lines, and “gave” and “has taken away” in the second pair. In prose terms Job says “I was born with nothing, and I will die with nothing” (Good News Translation). For a similar expression of this resignation to events, see Ecclesiastes 5.15, and in the New Testament, 1 Timothy 6.7. The main reason for not translating literally here is that it is not really possible to maintain the parallelism in the next line. If a language offers a similar metaphor for being born with no material goods, it may be possible to construct the second line in a parallel manner. Otherwise the translator is encouraged to follow something like Good News Translation. The translation problem for some languages is that of quoted speech which is not directed to a specified listener. However, since Job has placed himself in a position of reverence before God, it is possible to say “He said to the LORD, ‘I was born with nothing…’ ” or “… ‘When I was born I owned nothing, and likewise when I die I will own nothing.’ ”
Naked shall I return translates what appears to be an ellipsis; that is, “return to my mother’s womb.” Obviously, the writer did not intend that meaning. Interpreters have sought to find the meaning in “return to the womb of the earth.” However, dead people do not “return” to the grave or to Sheol. In any case, it is not the translator’s responsibility to copy a poetic expression from one language into another, but to reflect the intended meaning—preferably in appropriate poetic terms. Good News Translation renders Job’s thought in prose, “and I will die with nothing.” New English Bible, which uses “womb” in the first line, translates “return whence I came,” but that leaves the reader wondering where that is supposed to be. If it is possible to retain the contrast of came … return, translators should consider doing so. This may mean translating something like “I arrived naked in this world, and I shall be naked when I leave it.”
The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away: only in this verse and in 12.9 does Job use the name Yahweh. With these words Job refuses to complain; neither does he question Yahweh’s ultimate ownership of all things. In translation in many languages it will be necessary to complete the verb phrase by saying, for example, “The LORD gave me everything and the LORD has taken away everything” or “The LORD gave me family and wealth and the LORD has taken away my family and wealth.” In some languages it is not natural to address someone in the third person. Hence, here Job must sometimes say “You, LORD, gave me wealth and family, and now you have taken them away from me.”
Blessed be the name of the LORD: the word translated blessed here is the same word translated “curse” in verse 5 and 11. The form of this benediction is also found in Psalm 113.2 with “now and forever” added. This was a standard formula for praise. The meaning of blessed be … the LORD is that Yahweh should receive praise and honor from people. Accordingly Good News Translation translates “May his name be praised.” Bible en français courant renders “blessed” in terms of gratitude and says “I have only to thank the LORD.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch relates the final line more closely to the preceding one by saying “I will praise him no matter what he does.” In some languages this benediction is expressed “Everyone should praise the LORD” or “Let all people say that God is great.”
So Job praises Yahweh and does not curse him, and Satan’s prediction that “he will curse you to your face” is proved wrong.
Quoted with permission from Reyburn, Wiliam. A Handbook on Job. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1992. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .