Verse 24 continues the same observation of God’s indifference to the innocent. There are three lines in this verse, and only the first two are parallel. The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: the verb is passive, and the implied subject is God. Translations are divided between those which take earth to refer to an individual nation and those which understand it to refer to the world generally. It seems preferable to assume with Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation that the general meaning is intended. Into the hand means into the power or control of wicked people. In languages in which a passive verb cannot be used, it may be necessary to say, for example, “God gives the earth to wicked people” or “God lets evil people have power over the earth.”
He covers the faces of its judges: in Exodus 23.8 bribery is condemned because it covers the eyes of officials so they can not see where justice lies. Translators are probably familiar with the image of justice represented as a feminine figure holding a scale in one hand and a sword in the other, and whose eyes are blindfolded. The blindfold is supposed to suggest that justice should be dispensed without prejudice. The picture in this verse is quite different. Here it is God who covers the eyes of the judge so he cannot see the truth and judge fairly. If the metaphor of covering the face or eyes gives the wrong meaning, translators may restructure this expression to say, for example, “He blinds the eyes of judges so they cannot judge fairly” or “He prevents justice being given, by blinding the eyes of judges.”
If it is not he, who then is it?: Job’s friends have argued that a man’s good fortune is the result of his merits, because God rewards the innocent. Job argues against that position from his own innocence. Since Job’s friends cannot accept that God has brought on his suffering, Job puts this question to them: “If it is not God, then who is it?” New English Bible does not translate the question in its text, but Hebrew Old Testament Text Project rates it an “A” reading, and translators should retain it. This question may have to be restructured to say, for example, “If it is not God who does these things, then who does them?”
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 .