Take heed, do not turn to iniquity echoes verse 18 as another warning. The first line is clear enough. Turn to iniquity means “to do evil deeds, become evil.” Stated positively the sense is “avoid sin, get rid of evil ways, turn your back on wrongdoing.”

In the second line this refers back to iniquity in the first line. The verb chosen can also have the meaning of “test or prove,” particularly in the Aramaic sense. Dhorme translates “It is because of that that you have been tried by affliction.” In order to keep Job from evil, he is being tested by suffering. Good News Translation expresses this notion clearly as “Your suffering was sent to keep you from it,” that is, to keep Job from doing evil.

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 .