upright

The Hebrew that typically is translated as “upright” in English is translated in the English Job translation by E.L. Greenstein (2019) as “straight (of path).”

appalled / worried

In Gbaya, the notion of being appalled or worried (“trembled”) is emphasized with ɗékéyéké, an ideophone that expresses being dizzy, confused, troubled.

Ideophones are a class of sound symbolic words expressing human sensation that are used as literary devices in many African languages. (Source: Philip Noss)

complete verse (Job 17:8)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Job 17:8:

  • Kupsabiny: “When those who say they are righteous see me, they lack words,
    and sin causes pain to those who are innocent.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Because of this innocent people are confused,
    and faultless people rise up against the ungodly.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The people who consider themselves righteous are-wondering at this that happened to me. They curse me as an ungodly man.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “It was as though they walked into their own net
    or fell into a pit that they themselves have dug.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Job 17:8

Some commentators believe verses 8, 9, and 10 are out of place here, since they seem to interrupt the flow of thought, and that verse 11 should stand in their place. Dhorme defends keeping these verses where they are, and most modern translators do that.

Upright men are appalled at this: Upright men translates a word meaning “the honest, the straight, the good” and is used in parallel with “the innocent” in 4.7. There are differences of opinion regarding who these Upright men are. The two equally valid views are that they are good people anywhere who would be shocked at Job’s conditions, or that Job is speaking sarcastically about the friends. Biblia Dios Habla Hoy takes the first view: “On seeing this, good people are amazed.” It is the second view which Good News Translation adopts when it says “Those who claim to be honest….” Bible en français courant and others follow Good News Translation. Appalled translates a verb found also in Isaiah 52.14, where Revised Standard Version has “astonished.” In the present context the word has the meaning of “amazed, shocked, astonished, upset.” We may translate with the general meaning of “uprightness”; for example, “When good people see how much I’ve suffered, they are shocked,” “Good people see my condition and they are amazed,” or, referring to Job’s friends, we may translate “People who think they are sincere (honest) are amazed.”

And the innocent stirs himself up against the godless: the two understandings of Upright men in line a apply equally to the parallel the innocent in line b. Because the subject in both lines is expressed in words of similar meaning, Good News Translation replaces the innocent with “they.” Stirs himself up translates a verb meaning “to arouse, excite.” The result can be pleasurable excitement as in 31.29, but in verse 8 it is more likely to mean displeasure, which Bible en français courant translates as “indignant.” Good News Translation “condemns” is stronger than the text suggests. Biblia Dios Habla Hoy has “get angry.” The godless refers to the wicked, or to the unbelievers, and is used in 8.13 “The hope of the godless man shall perish.” The line may be translated “The innocent person is troubled, disturbed, annoyed, distressed by the one who does not trust God.” There is little doubt that Job refers to himself as seen from the point of view of the friends, and Good News Translation makes this clear with “They all condemn me as godless.” This line may also be expressed, for example, “They become angry and say, ‘He does not trust God.’ ”

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 .