Job 20:4

20:4 “Surely you know ¹  that it has been from old,

ever since humankind was placed ²  on the earth,

Job 21:33

21:33 The clods of the torrent valley ³  are sweet to him;

behind him everybody follows in procession,

and before him goes a countless throng.

Job 27:13

27:13 This is the portion of the wicked man

allotted by God, ⁴ 

the inheritance that evildoers receive

from the Almighty.

Job 32:21

32:21 I will not show partiality to anyone, ⁵ 

nor will I confer a title ⁶  on any man.

Job 38:26

38:26 to cause it to rain on an uninhabited land, ⁷ 

a desert where there are no human beings, ⁸ 

[20:4]  ¹ tn The MT has “Do you not know?” The question can be interpreted as a rhetorical question affirming that Job must know this. The question serves to express the conviction that the contents are well-known to the audience (see GKC 474 §150.e).

[20:4]  ² tn Heb “from the putting of man on earth.” The infinitive is the object of the preposition, which is here temporal. If “man” is taken as the subjective genitive, then the verb would be given a passive translation. Here “man” is a generic, referring to “mankind” or “the human race.”

[21:33]  ³ tn The clods are those that are used to make a mound over the body. And, for a burial in the valley, see Deut 34:6. The verse here sees him as participating in his funeral and enjoying it. Nothing seems to go wrong with the wicked.

[27:13]  ⁵ tn The expression “allotted by God” interprets the simple prepositional phrase in the text: “with/from God.”

[32:21]  ⁷ tn The idiom is “I will not lift up the face of a man.” Elihu is going to show no favoritism, but speak his mind.

[32:21]  ⁸ tn The verb means “to confer an honorary title; to give a mark of distinction,” but it is often translated with the verb “flatter.” Elihu will not take sides, he will not use pompous titles.

[38:26]  ⁹ tn Heb “on a land, no man.”

[38:26]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “a desert, no man in it.”