Job again contradicts the claims made by the friends in 15.33; 18.19; 20.21. Their children are established in their presence: children translates the Hebrew for “seed,” which usually means descendants in the general sense. The two terms translated children in line a and offspring in line b occur in parallel both here and in 5.25. They therefore refer to the same descendants. The general term is used in line a and the more specific one in line b. Various translations reproduce this kind of parallelism: New Jerusalem Bible “posterity” and “offspring,” Bible en français courant “descendants” in line a and “grandchildren” in line b. Established in their presence translates an awkward Hebrew wording, literally “before their face with them.” Hebrew Old Testament Text Project, which gives the Hebrew text only a “D” rating, suggests “before their face” means “while they (the wicked) are still alive,” and “with them” means “not separated from them.” Dhorme takes “with them” to be an unnecessary repetition which adds no further meaning. Revised Standard Version takes the double expression as alternative expressions which say the same thing, and so it has omitted “with them.” Established translates the idea of being settled and secure. New English Bible translates “They live to see their children settled.” Good News Translation has reordered the components of verse 8, putting “children and grandchildren” together in the first line.

And their offspring before their eyes: they live to watch their children become settled. Good News Translation has kept this line and incorporated offspring as “grandchildren” into line a. Before their eyes is parallel to in their presence in line a but is idiomatic in order to heighten the intensity of the first line. The thought may be expressed “They even live to see their grandchildren.” Good News Translation shifts established in their presence from line a to line b and translates “and live to watch them all grow up.” If the translator wishes to retain the force of the parallelism, verse 8 may be rendered, for example, “They see their children settle down near them, and even live to watch their grandchildren grow up.”

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 .