Job 12:3

12:3 I also have understanding ¹  as well as you;

I am not inferior to you. ² 

Who does not know such things as these? ³ 

Job 30:1

Job’s Present Misery

30:1 “But now they mock me, those who are younger ⁴  than I,

whose fathers I disdained too much ⁵ 

to put with my sheep dogs. ⁶ 

Job 42:3

42:3 you asked, ⁷ 

‘Who is this who darkens counsel

without knowledge?’

But ⁸  I have declared without understanding ⁹ 

things too wonderful for me to know. ¹⁰ 

[12:3]  ¹ tn The word is literally “heart,” meaning a mind or understanding.

[12:3]  ² tn Because this line is repeated in 13:2, many commentators delete it from this verse (as does the LXX). The Syriac translates נֹפֵל (nofel) as “little,” and the Vulgate “inferior.” Job is saying that he does not fall behind them in understanding.

[12:3]  ³ tn Heb “With whom are not such things as these?” The point is that everyone knows the things that these friends have been saying – they are commonplace.

[30:1]  ⁴ tn Heb “smaller than I for days.”

[30:1]  ⁵ tn Heb “who I disdained their fathers to set…,” meaning “whose fathers I disdained to set.” The relative clause modifies the young fellows who mock; it explains that Job did not think highly enough of them to put them with the dogs. The next verse will explain why.

[30:1]  ⁶ sn Job is mocked by young fellows who come from low extraction. They mocked their elders and their betters. The scorn is strong here – dogs were despised as scavengers.

[42:3]  ⁷ 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.

[42:3]  ⁸ tn The word לָכֵן (lakhen) is simply “but,” as in Job 31:37.

[42:3]  ⁹ 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.”

[42:3]  ¹⁰ tn The last clause is “and I do not know.” This is also subordinated to become a dependent clause.