You say, ‘They are swiftly carried away upon the face of the waters…’: this is literally “He is swift on the face of the waters.” The word translated They are swiftly may be translated as a verb meaning “to be swift” or as an adjective meaning “light, insignificant.” In the latter sense They would refer to the wicked as being something light floating on the waters. Good News Translation keeps the singular “the wicked man” and translates “is swept away by the floods.” Hosea 10.7 has as parallel form “like a chip on the face of the waters,” which is a figurative expression similar to New English Bible “Such men are scum on the surface of the water.” New International Version calls them “foam,” and New Jerusalem Bible says “He is no more than a straw floating on water.” Translators may decide to provide a transition to this section, such as in Revised Standard Version, or to attribute verses 18-25 to Zophar, as in Good News Translation.
Their portion is cursed in the land refers to the portion of the land or earth they own, occupy, and labor on. Is cursed is a rare passive construction which Good News Translation expresses as an active: “the land he owns is under God’s curse.” Such land is unproductive, useless, and lying in ruins. This line may also be rendered, for example, “God curses the land he owns” or “the place where he lives is cursed by God.”
No treader turns toward their vineyards is more or less literally “he does not face in the direction of the vineyards,” which makes little sense in the context. At least two changes are required to get Revised Standard Version‘s translation. “In the direction of” becomes by a change of vowels no treader, meaning “no wine presser” or “no one to tread on the grapes to make wine.” The Septuagint adjusts vineyards to get their vineyards, which Revised Standard Version follows. It is not clear what changes Good News Translation may have followed to get its translation, but it appears to be a more general sense of the changes accepted by Revised Standard Version and is clear in meaning. Other models that may be followed are Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “and no one works again in his vineyard,” New International Version “so that no one goes to the vineyards” (because of the curse in line b), and New English Bible “and no laborer will go near their vineyards.”
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 .