Job begins by making a general assertion: Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. Man translates the Hebrew ʾadam and refers to humankind, or everyone. Good News Translation makes it inclusive with “We are all born….” Man is followed in verse 1 by three attributive phrases. The first, that is born of a woman, focuses upon the frailty of a person’s beginnings. In verse 4 (also 15.14 and 25.4) this thought is made more specific in terms of ritual impurity or uncleanliness associated with childbirth. Born of a woman is rendered “weak and helpless” by Good News Translation, which makes clear the significance of the expression. The author is not making a distinction between people born of women and those born from some supernatural birth. He is emphasizing the frailty of human existence. Bible en français courant keeps the Hebrew expression but makes its significance clear with “A man is nothing more than a child of a woman.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates “From birth a human being is weak and helpless.” This expression may be rendered, for example, “A human is born frail and helpless,” “A person is born from a woman and has no strength,” or “A woman gives birth to a child, and it is helpless.” The second characteristic is of few days, which translates the Hebrew “short of days,” meaning that human beings have a short life; they do not live long. Jacob complained in Genesis 47.9 that his long life was brief. Job complained of the shortness of life in 7.6-7; 9.25-26. The third quality of life is that it is full of troubles. In 3.17 Job said that in Sheol “the wicked cease from troubling,” meaning they have ceased from doing evil. The last part of the verse may also be expressed “He lives for only a short time, and during his life he suffers,” “People die soon and while they live they have troubles,” or “Their lives have many troubles and they die quickly.”

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 .