Job

The Hebrew and Greek that is transliterated as “Job” in English means “the persecuted,” “hated,” “one ever returning to God,” “he that weeps,” “a desert.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )

In Spanish Sign Language it is translated with a sign for “patience,” referring to James 5:11 and many other passages within the book of Job. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Job” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

In Swiss-German Sign Language it is translated with the sign for “suffering.”


“Job” in Swiss-German Sign Language, source: DSGS-Lexikon biblischer Begriffe , © CGG Schweiz

In Hungarian Sign Language it is translated with a sign that refers to the ulcers (sores) covering his body (see Job 2:7). (Source: Jenjelvi Biblia and HSL Bible Translation Group)


“Job” in Hungarian Sign Language — note that only the first part refers to “Job,” the second part refers to “book” (source )

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Job .

complete verse (Job 2:8)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Job 2:8:

  • Kupsabiny: “Job took hold of a curved piece of a pot and scraped himself while sitting in ashes.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Taking a piece of a broken clay pot to scratch [his] itches, Job sat in the ashes.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Job took a broken clay-pot and scraped his skin as he sits on ashes.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped the boils on his skin, and he sat in ashes as people did when they were mourning for those who had died.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Job 2:8

He took a potsherd with which to scrape himself: a potsherd is a broken piece of pottery and would be plentiful in rubbish heaps in the Middle East. The action described here was either to get relief or to cut his flesh as a sign of mourning (Lev 19.28; Deut 14.1). All translations consulted prefer “scrape” or “scratch.” In language areas where pottery making is not practiced, it will be necessary to use a different object; for example, “a piece of bone” or “a sharp stone.”

In order to call attention to his grief, Job sat among the ashes. The verse has two clauses. Sat among the ashes connects with what precedes. Good News Translation puts this clause at the beginning: “Job went and sat by the garbage dump.” In Hebrew this is a circumstantial clause, that is to say, one that describes the circumstances of the main clause; it can be rendered “Job, meanwhile, was sitting among the ashes,” or “… among the ashes of the garbage heap,” or “… ashes where people burn what they throw away.” The Septuagint has “on the dung hill” and adds the words “outside the city.” It is probably best to maintain a chronological order as Good News Translation does. In many language areas there is no area designated for disposing of ashes or rubbish, and it will be necessary to make clear that Job is sitting in ashes as a sign of mourning; for example, “as was the custom while mourning for the dead, Job sat in ashes.”

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 .