That you turn your spirit against God: ki is the opening Hebrew connective in this verse, but interpreters disagree as to what things it connects. Revised Standard Version that makes verse 13 a consequence of 12. Biblia Dios Habla Hoy makes verse 13 another “why” question parallel to verse 12. Good News Translation does not use a connective but shows the connection through “anger” in verse 12b and “angry” in verse 13a. Turn your spirit against God translates the literal Hebrew form. Some scholars understand spirit here to mean “breath,” but this destroys the parallelism. The Hebrew for spirit here means “anger,” as it does in Judges 8.3; Proverbs 16.32. This line may also be rendered, for example, “… when you become angry with God” or “Why do you turn your anger against God?” In some languages this expression may best be expressed figuratively; for example, “… when your heart gets hot at God” or “Why does your innermost boil up at God?”

And let such words go out of your mouth: the word such is required in the Revised Standard Version rendering, but is not in the Hebrew. Eliphaz is rebuking Job for being angry with God, and for this reason his words are harsh. Good News Translation translates the whole line as “and denounce him.” Biblia Dios Habla Hoy says “and give free rein to your protests.” This line may also be rendered, for example, “and you say such bad words against God,” “and you let such speeches against God fly from your mouth,” or “and you pour out such speeches from your mouth.”

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 .