Will you speak falsely for God: this line begins the first of four questions which Job asks his friends (verses 7, 8, 9, 11). He addresses them in the plural and so is not singling out Zophar, who was the last to address him in chapter 11. Speak falsely is literally “speak injustice.” In 6.29 the same noun is translated “wrong.” In 27.4 it is translated “falsehood” and is parallel with “deceit.” For God in Hebrew stands at the beginning of the line and receives the emphasis. Therefore Job is asking “Is it for God that you speak falsely?” or “Do you think it is for God that you lie?”

And speak deceitfully for him: in Hebrew the line begins with for him, which repeats the emphasis of line a. Contrary to normal poetic style, speak is used in both lines rather than employing a different word of similar meaning in the second line. The two lines are therefore parallel without poetic intensification. Good News Translation adjusts the two lines so that for God is translated only once, “for the benefit of God,” in line b. This verse may be rendered as in Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, “Do you think you are defending God with your lies, and that you are rendering him a service through your deceitful words?” As a negative command this verse may be rendered, for example, “Don’t think you are helping God and serving him by lies and deceit!” or as a negative statement, “You are not helping God or serving him by lying and deceiving 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 .