Is it for your fear of him that he reproves you…?: Eliphaz uses the word fear to express the idea of religion or piety, which refers to faithful devotion to a person’s religious duties in 4.6; 15.4. The question in verse 4 assumes the reply “No.” God would have no interest in correcting the religious person. If he corrects or punishes them, it is because they do not fear him. The question in this line is well translated by Moffatt “Why should he punish you for your religion…?”

And enters into judgment with you: this line expands somewhat on “reproves” or “punishes” in the previous line. God not only punishes Job for his lack of “reverence, piety,” but he even brings him to trial, takes him to court. Verse 4 may also be rendered as a statement with negative reasons; for example, “God punishes you and takes you to court because you show him no respect” or “God makes you suffer and tests you because you do not serve him faithfully.” In languages in which the rhetorical question is preferred, we may translate, for example, “Do you think God judges you and punishes you because you are his faithful servant? Not at all!”

Is not your wickedness great?: Good News Translation answers “No” to the question in verse 4 as an introduction to the full reply in verse 5. (See also New English Bible.) For English style Good News Translation‘s arrangement is better than repeating the question form in verse 5a as Revised Standard Version does. If the translator prefers the question form in verse 5a, it may be necessary to mark the contrast; for example, “Is it not instead because you are very wicked?” In some languages it may be clearer to show the contrast between the questions in verses 2-4 and verse 5 by an introductory clause; for example, “The reason he punishes you is because you are such a sinner” or “He punishes you for your many sins.”

There is no end to your iniquities: this line is a summary statement: “Your sins have no limit” or, as New English Bible forcefully says, “Your depravity passes all bounds.” In Eliphaz’s view there is no limit to the sins Job is capable of committing. This line may be expressed so that it continues to give, as in the previous line, the reasons why God punishes Job; for example, “and because you keep on sinning,” “and because of the great extent of your sins,” or “because the things you do are so very bad.”

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 .