Job 15:3

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

with words that have no value in them?

Job 30:13

30:13 They destroy ³  my path;

they succeed in destroying me ⁴ 

without anyone assisting ⁵  them.

Job 35:3

35:3 But you say, ‘What will it profit you,’ ⁶ 

and, ‘What do I gain by not sinning?’ ⁷ 

[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).

[30:13]  ³ tn This verb נָתְסוּ (natÿsu) is found nowhere else. It is probably a variant of the verb in Job 19:10. R. Gordis (Job, 333-34) notes the Arabic noun natsun (“thorns”), suggesting a denominative idea “they have placed thorns in my path.” Most take it to mean they ruin the way of escape.

[30:13]  ⁴ tc The MT has “they further my misfortune.” The line is difficult, with slight textual problems. The verb יֹעִילוּ (yo’ilu) means “to profit,” and so “to succeed” or “to set forward.” Good sense can be made from the MT as it stands, and many suggested changes are suspect.

[30:13]  ⁵ tn The sense of “restraining” for “helping” was proposed by Dillmann and supported by G. R. Driver (see AJSL 52 [1935/36]: 163).

[35:3]  ⁵ tn The referent of “you” is usually understood to be God.

[35:3]  ⁶ 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?”