Thou dost renew thy witnesses against me: scholars differ regarding the meaning of the word translated witnesses. Some hold that these refer to Job’s sufferings which testify (give evidence) to his guilt. Dhorme and others read the Hebrew word with different vowels and get “your hostility,” which serves as a parallel for thy vexation in the following line. It does not seem necessary, however, to change the Hebrew just for the sake of parallelism. The line may sometimes be translated, for example, “You make new attacks on me,” “You attack me again in order to make me suffer.”

And increase thy vexation toward me: vexation translates a word meaning “to be angry, to be irritated.” According to Eliphaz it is anger which causes the downfall of the fool in 5.2. Job says that God’s anger toward him increases, or, as Good News Translation translates, “grows and grows.” The line may be rendered “and you become more and more angry with me” or “your anger against me gets greater all the time.”

Thou dost bring fresh hosts against me translates the Hebrew “changes and hosts with me.” See Revised Standard Version footnote. The word translated fresh refers to military reliefs, troops who are sent in to relieve (take over from) combat-weary soldiers, and so are said to be rested or fresh. Job pictures himself pitted against an unending supply of fresh troops, a picture which is far more vivid than the abstraction of Good News Translation, “You always plan some new attack.” Bible en français courant translates “and you throw troops who are always fresh against me.” This line may also be translated, for example, “You send troubles on me like rested soldiers ready for battle.”

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 .