complete verse (Job 41:9)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Job 41:9:

  • Kupsabiny: “If a man/person thinks (he) is able to catch this animal, (he) is only deceiving (him)self,
    because if/when (his) eyes suddenly catches a glimpse of it, he is immediately startled and falls down unconscious.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The hope of bringing him under submission is useless.
    As soon as [one] sees him the heart is discouraged.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “There is no worth/use in trying to capture him. When- you (sing.) just -see him you (sing.) will- already -lose courage/braveness.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “It is useless to try to subdue them.
    Anyone who tries to subdue one of them will lose his courage.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Job 41:9

In Hebrew verse 9 is numbered 41.1, as the Revised Standard Version footnote indicates.

The hope of a man is literally “his hope.” There is no noun for “his” to refer back to, and so Revised Standard Version supplies of a man. In order to get around this problem, Dhorme transposes verses 9 and 10 so that the antecedent is found in verse 10b, which is placed before verse 9. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project makes two suggestions: the first agrees with Revised Standard Version, and the second “the hope in it,” which they say means “the hope of attaining it.” Good News Translation restructures verse 9 and clearly states who the participants are. “Anyone” is supplied as the subject of the phrase in line b at the sight of, and so we get “Anyone who sees.” Him, referring to Leviathan, is made the object of “sees.” Hope … is disappointed becomes the main verb phrase translated as “loses courage,” and he is laid low becomes “and falls to the ground,” a coordinate clause with “loses courage.” Although considerably rearranged, this rendering agrees with the thought expressed in Revised Standard Version and is recommended to translators.

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 .