Therefore men fear him means that people “revere, respect, have reverence for” God.

He does not regard: regard translates the Hebrew verb “see.” The sense is that God does not need to take into account these wise persons, because he is sufficient in himself. “He does not pay attention to them,” “God does not even notice them.”

Wise in their own conceit translates “who are wise of heart.” There are two interpretations of this expression: those like Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation, which assume it means they are not wise but think they are, and those that understand the expression to refer to wise people who really are wise. “Wise in heart” is used in 9.4 and has no bad sense intended. New English Bible translates “all who are wise look to him.” Translations are divided between these two interpretations. New International Version has in its text “does he not have regard for all the wise in heart?” and in the footnote “for he does not have regard for any who think they are wise.” This may be the solution, at least for those who give alternative renderings in the notes. Wise in their own conceit may be rendered for example, “people who think they are wise, but are not,” “people who say they are wise,” or “people who act like wise people.”

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 .