This is the portion of a wicked man with God: these words point forward to the verses that follow. In 20.29 “this” pointed back to what had already been said. For comments on portion and heritage, see 20.29. These terms normally refer to good things or to wealth received, and so their use here represents a form of irony. The Hebrew has “with God”; but in 20.29 it has “from God,” and the same should be read here. Good News Translation expresses this verse in an active mode: “This is how Almighty God punishes … men.” Revised Standard Version keeps the singular in reference to the wicked in this section, but Good News Translation translates in the plural—a more normal way in English for referring to a class of people. In some languages the appropriate form used will point forward. In others it may be necessary to make it clear by saying, for example, “I will tell you now how God punishes wicked people” or “Here is how God punishes the wicked.”

And the heritage which oppressors receive from the Almighty: heritage is parallel in meaning to portion in the previous line, and oppressors (plural) to a wicked man (singular). These occurred in parallel in 15.20, where the same Hebrew word is translated “the ruthless” by Revised Standard Version and “who oppresses others” by Good News Translation. For oppressors see comments on 6.23. Good News Translation reduces the parallelism to a single thought by joining “violent men” with “wicked,” and Almighty with “God.” Verse 13 is translated by Biblia Dios Habla Hoy as “This is the punishment that God, the Almighty, will give to cruel and evil men.” Translators wishing to avoid the parallel line arrangement may follow this model. To make clear that This points forward to the remaining verses, translators may have to adjust the above model to say, for example, “God Almighty will punish cruel and evil people in the following way” or “… in the way I will tell you now.”

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 .