The nature analogy continues with water, stones, and torrents. The waters wear away the stones: wear away translates the timeless action of erosion in which moving water “pounds, crushes, rubs” the stones in the stream bed. In some languages it may be necessary to say, for example, “The river’s waters erode the stones in the stream bed” or “The water in the river flows against the stones in the stream bed and wears them down.”

The torrents wash away the soil of the earth: torrents translates a word meaning “rain storms, torrential rains.” Good News Translation says “heavy rains.” Their action is applied to the soil of the earth, which in English is better stated as “the soil,” (Good News Translation). This line may also be expressed, for example, “the big rains wash away the soil” or “the heavy winter rains take away the earth.”

So thou destroyest the hope of man: this line provides the application of the nature analogy. Destroyest translates the Hebrew “cause to perish.” God’s action against man’s hope is destructive, just as erosion is in nature. New English Bible succeeds nicely in the context of water eroding the soil: “So thou hast wiped out the hope of frail man.” Bible en français courant has “You too, you bring to ruin the hope of man.” Hope of man refers to his hope to go on living instead of being destroyed by death, and to make this clear Good News Translation says “you destroy man’s hope for life.” In some languages it may be necessary to place this line at the beginning of this verse and say, for example, “You destroy man’s hope for life, the way the river waters erode….”

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 .