Rowley says about verses 31-37 “These verses are among the most obscure and difficult in the book.” Verses 31 and 32 appear to consist of a confession of sin followed by a promise not to repeat the sin.

For has anyone said to God has an indefinite subject. Bible en français courant translates this line “Let us suppose someone said this to God.” Revised Standard Version and New English Bible assume Elihu is thinking in terms of Job specifically and so introduce direct speech. New Jerusalem Bible understands the subject to be the godless ruler from the preceding verse. It is recommended that translators follow either Revised Standard Version or Good News Translation.

I have borne chastisement: chastisement does not occur in the Hebrew, but it is necessary for Revised Standard Version to supply it in order to complete the Hebrew verb phrase “I have borne.” Because there is no object for the verb in this line, many changes in the Hebrew text have been suggested. By a change of vowel markings, Dhorme and others get “I have been led astray.” Hebrew Old Testament Text Project suggests three ways in which the Hebrew may be understood: (1) “I raise my hand,” as in swearing to the truth; (2) “I bear my sin”; (3) “I bear with what God sends me.” The first two may be understood as admission of sin, and so the next line follows naturally, I will not offend any more. Offend translates a verb used in 21.17 meaning “to act wrongly,” and so “to sin.” The Hebrew does not have any more, but this is added on the basis that the consonants of this word, which appear again in the first word of the next verse, have fallen out. Verse 31 may also be expressed “Has anyone ever said to God, ‘I am a sinner, but I will stop sinning?’ ” or more directly, “Job, have you ever admitted to God that you are a sinner and said you would confess your sins?”

Teach me what I do not see: teach has the sense here of “show, point out, make me aware of.” What I do not see is literally “apart from I see.” Revised Standard Version‘s rendering is probably accurate. These words are still the words of the indefinite person Elihu is quoting, and so they are part of a confession and a request for help. What I do not see is taken to be the faults, sins, wrongs, of the confessing person. And so the line can be rendered “show me my sins that I have not recognized” or “show me how I have sinned without knowing it.”

If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more: the confessor does not admit to having sinned but leaves this possibility open. He offers to sin no more. The consequence in this line is parallel in meaning to that in verse 31b. If Job has been addressed in verse 31, he should continue to be addressed in verse 32.

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 .