I will not show partiality is literally “I will not lift up the face.” The expression is used in Leviticus 19.15, where the judges are told to treat the great and the poor alike. So Elihu is claiming that he will not show favors to anyone but will be impartial. Good News Translation makes the matter of impartiality more specific with “I will not take sides in this debate.” We may also translate, for example, “I will not side with any one person” or “I will be fair and treat everyone equally.” Revised Standard Version man means the same as person in line a and will be better translated as in Good News Translation or as in the model translations given.

Use flattery translates a term meaning “give honorific titles.” It is used in Isaiah 44.5 and 45.4. Elihu is thus saying that he will not treat anyone with special honor. The line may be expressed in some languages, for example, as “I will not warm people with words,” “I will not speak big words about people,” or “I will not make people great with my mouth.”

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 .