Terrors frighten him on every side: Bildad does not specify the nature of these Terrors. Pope takes them to be demons, and Dhorme suggests they are the fears of the guilty soul. In 15.21 Eliphaz spoke of “terrifying sounds” being in the ears of the wicked. The line may also be expressed “Things that cause him terror are around him” or “Frightening things are about him.”

And chase him at his heels: whatever the nature of the Terrors, they are now portrayed as animate creatures in hot pursuit of the wicked. The wicked person is unable to escape the hounding of his fears. The verb translated chase usually means “scatter,” but this is unsuitable when one person is the object. Some scholars suggest changing the line to say “and compel him to make water over his feet,” which New English Bible translates more graphically “and make him piss over his feet.” The Hebrew text is clear as it stands without making changes. The line may be rendered, for example, “and these things run after him to catch him,” “these frightening things are close to his heels chasing him,” or “… chase him biting at his heels.”

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 .