32:6 So Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite spoke up: 1
“I am young, 2 but you are elderly;
that is why I was fearful, 3
and afraid to explain 4 to you what I know.
42:3 you asked, 5
‘Who is this who darkens counsel
without knowledge?’
But 6 I have declared without understanding 7
things too wonderful for me to know. 8
1 tn Heb “answered and said.”
2 tn The text has “small in days.”
3 tn The verb זָחַלְתִּי (zakhalti) is found only here in the OT, but it is found in a ninth century Aramaic inscription as well as in Biblical Aramaic. It has the meaning “to be timid” (see H. H. Rowley, Job [NCBC], 208).
4 tn The Piel infinitive with the preposition (מֵחַוֹּת, mekhavvot) means “from explaining.” The phrase is the complement: “explain” what Elihu feared.
5 tn The expression “you asked” is added here to clarify the presence of the line to follow. Many commentators delete it as a gloss from Job 38:2. If it is retained, then Job has to be recalling God’s question before he answers it.
6 tn The word לָכֵן (lakhen) is simply “but,” as in Job 31:37.
7 tn Heb “and I do not understand.” The expression serves here in an adverbial capacity. It also could be subordinated as a complement: “I have declared [things that] I do not understand.”
8 tn The last clause is “and I do not know.” This is also subordinated to become a dependent clause.