What is man, that he can be clean?: in 4.17 Eliphaz asked a similar question in similar language, and Job asked the question in 9.2. Eliphaz’s question refers to anyone generally, but indirectly to Job in this context. He is urging Job to see his iniquity in that light. For a discussion of clean in this context, see 14.4. Eliphaz’s question implies the impossibility of being ritually clean. In translation it may be necessary to express this question in a form that brings this out; for example, “What is a human being that he should act as if he were ritually clean?” or “Can a person pretend to be ritually clean?” or as a negative statement, “No one can act as if he were undefiled.”

Or he that is born of a woman that he can be righteous?: here the reference is clearly to “anyone,” “everybody.” The descriptive phrase is used to give added emphasis. That he can be righteous implies being righteous with regard to God, and Good News Translation makes this clear with “can anyone be right with God?” Good News Translation is the only translation consulted which makes this connection explicit. For discussion of righteous see 4.17. The line should be translated in a form that fits stylistically with the form of the previous line; for example, if a statement is used in line a, line b may also be rendered “and no one can be right in God’s eyes.”

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 .