20:5 that the elation of the wicked is brief, 1
the joy of the godless 2 lasts but a moment. 3
6:12 Can horses run on rocky cliffs?
Can one plow the sea with oxen? 4
Yet you have turned justice into a poisonous plant,
and the fruit of righteous actions into a bitter plant. 5
6:13 You are happy because you conquered Lo-Debar. 6
You say, “Did we not conquer Karnaim 7 by our own power?”
6:25 “Woe to you who are well satisfied with food 8 now, for you will be hungry.
“Woe to you 9 who laugh 10 now, for you will mourn and weep.
1 tn The expression in the text is “quite near.” This indicates that it is easily attained, and that its end is near.
2 tn For the discussion of חָנֵף (khanef, “godless”) see Job 8:13.
3 tn The phrase is “until a moment,” meaning it is short-lived. But see J. Barr, “Hebrew ’ad, especially at Job 1:18 and Neh 7:3,” JSS 27 (1982): 177-88.
4 tc Heb “Does one plow with oxen?” This obviously does not fit the parallelism, for the preceding rhetorical question requires the answer, “Of course not!” An error of fusion has occurred in the Hebrew, with the word יָם (yam, “sea”) being accidentally added as a plural ending to the collective noun בָּקָר (baqar, “oxen”). A proper division of the consonants produces the above translation, which fits the parallelism and also anticipates the answer, “Of course not!”
5 sn The botanical imagery, when juxtaposed with the preceding rhetorical questions, vividly depicts and emphasizes how the Israelites have perverted justice and violated the created order by their morally irrational behavior.
6 tn Heb “those who rejoice over Lo-Debar.”
7 sn Karnaim was also located across the Jordan River. The name in Hebrew means “double horned.” Since an animal’s horn was a symbol of strength (see Deut 33:17), the Israelites boasted in this victory over a town whose very name symbolized military power.
8 tn Grk “who are filled.” See L&N 23.18 for the translation “well satisfied with food.”
9 tc The wording “to you” (ὑμῖν, Jumin) is lacking in several witnesses (א B K L T W Θ Ξ 0147 Ë1,13 579 700 892 1241 2542 al), though found in most (Ì75 A D Q Ψ 33 Ï lat co). The longer reading looks to be a clarifying addition; nevertheless, “to you” is included in the translation because of English requirements.
10 sn That is, laugh with happiness and joy.
11 tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”
12 tn Or “wail,” “cry.”
13 tn Or “lament.”
14 tn Or “sorrowful.”
15 tn Grk “will become.”
16 tn This term and the following one are preceded by καί (kai) in the Greek text, but contemporary English generally uses connectives only between the last two items in such a series.
17 tn Grk “let your laughter be turned.”