Verse 27 begins the final section of Job’s speech in which his observations are said to be confirmed by those who travel.

Behold, I know your thoughts: the Hebrew has two lines, the second of which develops the word thoughts in the first line. Job means here that he knows the friends refer to him when they talk about the doom awaiting the wicked. Behold here does not just emphasize something to follow, according to Dhorme, but rather affirms his statement as introducing a new theme. Thoughts in this context are hostile thoughts directed against Job, and so Good News Translation says “I know what spiteful thoughts you have.” Bible en français courant translates “Pay attention: I know what you have in the back of your minds.” This refers to the ulterior motives of the friends.

And your schemes to wrong me: schemes is almost the same in meaning as thoughts in the previous line, and Good News Translation therefore reduces the two lines to one. Verse 27 may be rendered, for example, “I know you have had thoughts and plan to do me wrong” or “I know what evil thoughts you think and how you plan to harm me.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, Wiliam. A Handbook on Job. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1992. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .