complete verse (Job 35:9)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Job 35:9:

  • Kupsabiny: “When people have been suppressed, they cry/beg for help,
    they cry wanting a person to come and save (them).” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “By reason of oppression people cry out, rising up and screaming,
    and they beg for help against the power of the mighty.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “‘The ones- who -are-being-oppressed are-asking for help that they will-be-rescued/saved from the hand of the mighty men.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “‘People cry out because of the many things that people do to others to oppress them/treat them cruelly;
    they call for help because of the things that powerful people do to them.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Job 35:9

Because of the multitude of oppressions people cry out probably refers again to Job’s observations in 24.12, in which the oppressed cry out, but God does not hear them. Elihu will offer an explanation why God does not answer. Multitude of oppressions renders what in Hebrew probably means “excess of oppressions,” which can be better translated as “being greatly oppressed.” Good News Translation translates this expression as a subordinate clause, “When men are oppressed….” The reason people cry out is that they are severely oppressed.

They call for help because of the arm of the mighty: arm of the mighty refers to someone who is powerful, and is similar to the use of “arm of the man” in the Hebrew of 22.8. For help is not in the Hebrew, but Revised Standard Version makes it explicit, as does Good News Translation with “for someone to save them.” Because … mighty may be omitted in translation if it results in bad style or is confusing; otherwise it should be retained as in the model examples. This line may also be expressed, for example, “and they call for someone to save them from the powerful” or “they call out for someone to defend them against those in power.”

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 .