complete verse (Job 30:6)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Job 30:6:

  • Kupsabiny: “(They) were living in caves
    and holes that had been dug in the cliffs.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “They live under dry rivers, in holes in the ground, and in the caves of the cliffs.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “They just live/dwell in the dry channel/passageway of water, in the hole/opening of the rocks, and in the holes in the ground.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “They were forced to live in caves in the hills,
    in holes in the ground, and in the sides of cliffs.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Job 30:6

In the gullies of the torrents they must dwell: the word translated gullies occurs only here in the Old Testament, and Revised Standard Version and others base the translation on a similar word in Arabic. The sense seems to be the steep slopes of mountains along the edge of rivers, torrents, and this is translated as the final phrase of the second line in Good News Translation, “in the sides of cliffs.” New Jerusalem Bible translates “in the sides of ravines.” It is in these difficult places that they make their homes. The line may be translated, for example, “They look for a place to live on the steep mountain sides,” “They have to find shelter in the gullies and ravines,” or “They live on the sides of gullies near the stream beds.”

In holes of the earth and of the rocks: it is difficult to tell from the Hebrew if holes is linked with the earth only, or also with the rocks. New English Bible says “they lived in gullies and ravines, holes in the earth and rocky clefts,” which is better than Revised Standard Version. This line may also be expressed “in holes in the ground and caves in the rocks.”

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 .