In the following verses the oppressed poor are compared to wild asses (donkeys) exposed to merciless conditions. Behold, like wild asses in the desert they go forth to their toil: for Behold see 4.18; 12.14; 13.15. For wild asses see comments on 11.12. Desert translates the Hebrew midbar, the most common term for desert in the Old Testament. At least in biblical times such areas, although uninhabited and not used for farming, had enough rain and grass to support certain wild animals, including the wild ass. To their toil translates the Hebrew “in their work” or “when they work.” Dhorme places this expression after seeking prey in the next line. He also changes in the desert to get “in the evening.” Good News Translation has taken to their toil, with seeking prey of the next line, to mean “search for food,” so “The poor, like wild asses, search for food in the dry wilderness.” Because of the parallelism translators may find it best to follow Good News Translation. This may also be expressed “Like wild donkeys these poor people look for food in the desert” or “These poor people live in the desert and are forced to search for something to eat, as wild donkeys do.”

Seeking prey in the wilderness: seeking prey is not suitable for this kind of animal, and means “looking for food,” which is parallel with go forth to their toil. As food for their children is literally “food to him for young.” Revised Standard Version changes “food to him” to read as food. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project recommends taking “to him” in a distributive sense: “for each one of them” or “for him (the poor person) the wilderness is bread (food) for the young.” Translators will notice a bewildering variety of translations of this textually confused verse. However, Good News Translation has translated it in a clear way that reflects the idea, and with a minimum of textual adjustments. The poet is saying that the poor are no better off in their search for food than are the wild donkeys. This line may also be rendered, for example, “this is the only way they get food for their children” or “this is the way they feed their children.”

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 .