Though I am innocent, my own mouth would condemn me: the Hebrew text has “my mouth”; however, some editors change this to “his mouth” on the assumption that it is God’s mouth that condemns Job. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project accepts “my mouth” as an “A” reading but suggests three ways to interpret the expression: (a) my mouth will condemn me; (b) with my mouth he will condemn me; and (c) if I am justified by my mouth, he will condemn me all the same. It seems best to understand Job’s thought as representing his fear that he will be so confused by God’s presence that he will even argue against himself. The words he uses in his own defense will condemn him. Line a may also be rendered, for example, “Although I am innocent (have done no wrong), God would still condemn me for what I say” or “Even though I am innocent, God would use my own words to show that I am guilty.”

Though I am blameless closely parallels the previous line. For comments on blameless see the following paragraph. He would prove me perverse: perverse translates a root which means “twisted, bent.” The thought is either that God would twist what Job says and turn his words against him, or God would prove that Job is in the wrong. New English Bible translates “he twists my words,” and Moffatt “he would prove me wrong.” Either of these is an adequate model for translating.

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 .