Job 13:13

13:13 “Refrain from talking ¹  with me so that ²  I may speak;

then let come to me ³  what may. ⁴ 

Job 33:31-33

33:31 Pay attention, Job – listen to me;

be silent, and I will speak.

33:32 If you have any words, ⁵  reply to me;

speak, for I want to justify you. ⁶ 

33:33 If not, you listen to me;

be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”

[13:13]  ¹ tn The Hebrew has a pregnant construction: “be silent from me,” meaning “stand away from me in silence,” or “refrain from talking with me.” See GKC 384 §119.ff. The LXX omits “from me,” as do several commentators.

[13:13]  ² tn The verb is the Piel cohortative; following the imperative of the first colon this verb would show purpose or result. The inclusion of the independent personal pronoun makes the focus emphatic – “so that I (in my turn) may speak.”

[13:13]  ³ tn The verb עָבַר (’avar, “pass over”) is used with the preposition עַל (’al, “upon”) to express the advent of misfortune, namely, something coming against him.

[13:13]  ⁴ tn The interrogative pronoun מָה (mah) is used in indirect questions, here introducing a clause [with the verb understood] as the object – “whatever it be” (see GKC 443-44 §137.c).

[33:32]  ⁵ tn Heb “if there are words.”

[33:32]  ⁶ tn The infinitive construct serves as the complement or object of “I desire.” It could be rendered “to justify you” or “your justification, “namely, “that you be justified.”