7:8 The eye of him who sees me now will see me no more; 1
your eyes will look for me, but I will be gone. 2
7:21 And why do you not pardon my transgression,
and take away my iniquity?
For now I will lie down in the dust, 3
and you will seek me diligently, 4
but I will be gone.”
1 sn The meaning of the verse is that God will relent, but it will be too late. God now sees him with a hostile eye; when he looks for him, or looks upon him in friendliness, it will be too late.
2 tn This verse is omitted in the LXX and so by several commentators. But the verb שׁוּר (shur, “turn, return”) is so characteristic of Job (10 times) that the verse seems appropriate here.
3 tn The LXX has, “for now I will depart to the earth.”
4 tn The verb שָׁחַר (shakhar) in the Piel has been translated “to seek early in the morning” because of the possible link with the word “dawn.” But the verb more properly means “to seek diligently” (by implication).