10:2 I will say to God, ‘Do not condemn 1 me;
tell me 2 why you are contending 3 with me.’
37:20 Should he be informed that I want 4 to speak?
If a man speaks, surely he would be swallowed up!
1 tn The negated jussive is the Hiphil jussive of רָשַׁע (rasha’); its meaning then would be literally “do not declare me guilty.” The negated jussive stresses the immediacy of the request.
2 tn The Hiphil imperative of יָדַע (yada’) would more literally be “cause me to know.” It is a plea for God to help him understand the afflictions.
3 tn The verb is רִיב (riv), meaning “to dispute; to contend; to strive; to quarrel” – often in the legal sense. The precise words chosen in this verse show that the setting is legal. The imperfect verb here is progressive, expressing what is currently going on.
4 tn This imperfect works well as a desiderative imperfect.