Job 15:3

15:3 Does he argue ¹  with useless ²  talk,

with words that have no value in them?

Job 22:21

22:21 “Reconcile yourself ³  with God, ⁴ 

and be at peace ⁵  with him;

in this way your prosperity will be good.

Job 34:9

34:9 For he says, ‘It does not profit a man

when he makes his delight with God.’ ⁶ 

Job 35:3

35:3 But you say, ‘What will it profit you,’ ⁷ 

and, ‘What do I gain by not sinning?’ ⁸ 

[15:3]  ¹ tn The infinitive absolute in this place is functioning either as an explanatory adverb or as a finite verb.

[15:3]  ² tn The verb סָכַן (sakhan) means “to be useful, profitable.” It is found 5 times in the book with this meaning. The Hiphil of יָעַל (ya’al) has the same connotation. E. LipinÃski offers a new meaning on a second root, “incur danger” or “run risks” with words, but this does not fit the parallelism (FO 21 [1980]: 65-82).

[22:21]  ³ tn The verb סָכַן (sakhan) meant “to be useful; to be profitable” in v. 2. Now, in the Hiphil it means “to be accustomed to” or “to have experience with.” Joined by the preposition “with” it means “to be reconciled with him.” W. B. Bishai cites Arabic and Ugaritic words to support a meaning “acquiesce” (“Notes on hskn in Job 22:21,” JNES 20 [1961]: 258-59).

[22:21]  ⁴ tn Heb “him”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:21]  ⁵ tn The two imperatives in this verse imply a relationship of succession and not consequence.

[34:9]  ⁵ tn Gordis, however, takes this expression in the sense of “being in favor with God.”

[35:3]  ⁷ tn The referent of “you” is usually understood to be God.

[35:3]  ⁸ tn The Hebrew text merely says, “What do I gain from my sin?” But Job has claimed that he has not sinned, and so this has to be elliptical: “more than if I had sinned” (H. H. Rowley, Job [NCBC], 224). It could also be, “What do I gain without sin?”