complete verse (Job 17:10)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Job 17:10:

  • Kupsabiny: “Please, all of you come here.
    I surely do not know if there is even one wise among you.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “But come, try again, all of you.
    I do not see a single person among you who has wisdom. ” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “But I challenge them to examine me once more. Surely I would-find-out that not even one of them has understood.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “’But even if all of those people came and stood in front of me,
    I would not find anyone among them who is wise.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

formal 2nd person plural pronoun (Japanese)

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a formal plural suffix to the second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, anata-gata (あなたがた) is used, combining the second person pronoun anata and the plural suffix -gata to create a formal plural pronoun (“you” [plural] in English).

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on Job 17:10

Job is not overwhelmed or discouraged by the attacks of the friends, and so he invites them now to repeat what they have said.

But you, come on again, all of you: some hold that verse 10 has little connection with the context, and that line a is too long and some of it should be eliminated; but there is no agreement on what should be removed to improve it. The Hebrew has “all of them” in line a, but switches to “you (plural)” in line b. However, this is not uncommon, and most translations are in agreement with Revised Standard Version, which changes from third plural in verse 9 to second plural in verse 10 (Good News Translation is exceptional). Come on again is literally “go back and turn again!” “Turn again” is used as in Proverbs 1.23, where it is rendered by Revised Standard Version “Give heed.” It is the teacher’s challenge to the learner to examine a matter again for its deeper meaning. Good News Translation expresses this command as an “if” clause: “But if all of them came and stood before me….” This rendering restructures the Hebrew considerably but succeeds well in expressing Job’s intention. This line may also be rendered, for example, “Come again and repeat what you have been saying,” “Come on then, all of you, attack me again,” or “Speak up all of you; let’s hear your words again.”

And I shall not find a wise man among you: in Job’s mind a wise man would not be one as in 17.4, whose mind has been closed, who is appalled at his situation (17.8). He would be wise by showing sympathetic understanding of Job’s plea to God to hear the argument of his innocence. By contrast the friends offer pious advice and attempt to show that Job is not innocent of wickedness. The line may also be expressed, for example, “I know I won’t find one of you to be a wise man” or “I have listened, but will not find that one of you is wise.”

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 .