The tents of robbers are at peace: in this verse Job is saying that, while the prosperous or fortunate people are causing misery for the unfortunate and looking down on them as wicked, violent robbers and godless people are enjoying a good life. There are three lines, with a and b being closely alike in meaning. Tents of robbers refers to the homes of those lawless people who violently attack others. Good News Translation “thieves” is less satisfactory, as the aspect of violence is largely lacking. At peace means that they live at home without trouble, threat, worry, or concern. This line reinforces the thought of verse 5. Good News Translation contrasts line a with the last line of verse 5. We may also say, for example, “But robbers who attack people live at home in security,” “But the tents of plunderers are left unharmed,” or “But bandits live at home in peace.”
And those who provoke God are secure: the shift in line b is from robbers who attack people to those who provoke God or make him angry. Good News Translation calls them “godless men” and combines this line with line a. It is not suggested how people provoke, irritate, or anger God. Are secure is parallel in meaning with at peace in line a. Line b may be rendered, for example, “and people who make God angry are without threat,” “and nobody threatens people who make God angry,” “and no one threatens the peace of those who make God angry,” or “and no one disturbs the safety of those who cause God to be angry.”
Who bring their god in their hand: this line is literally “whom ʾeloah brings in his hand.” Numerous attempts have been made to understand these words. Leaving aside all the proposed emendations or changes in the Hebrew vowels to make it clearer, there are two major approaches. The first is that of Gordis, who asserts that it is a Hebrew idiom which means to deceive; and he translates “all those who have deceived him (God).” However, Gordis gives no evidence of such an idiom used elsewhere in the Bible. The second interpretation is based on similar language used in Genesis 32.29; Deuteronomy 28.32; Micah 2.1. Each of these passages contains the term ʾel, which is taken by Dhorme to refer to God, and he translates these passages respectively “Their hand serves as their God,” “My hand serves me as God,” and “Your hand will not be able to serve as God.”
As is seen in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation, ʾeloah is here an object under the control or power of the thieves and godless people in line a and is appropriately translated “god.” The best sense that can be made is that some people think they control or have power over God, but in reality they have only a god, idol, false god in their hand or power.
Good News Translation translates as a concessive clause “though their only god is their own strength.” We may also say, for example, “They are the ones who have power over their gods” or “Their strength is the god they trust.” In languages in which it is difficult to express the idea of a “god,” we may say, for example, “What they worship is their own power” or “Their own strength takes the place of God.”
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 .