The eye which saw him will see him no more: some understand this to refer to the eye of God, as in 7.8, where Job said “The eye of him who sees me will behold me no more.” In 7.19-20 Job complains about God spying on him and calls God “Thou watcher of men.” It is not recommended that the allusion be made explicit by saying “The eye of God….” It is more probable that the reference is to people generally who were accustomed to seeing Job go about each day, and this fits better with the next line. Good News Translation has transposed verse 9a to before verse 8b and made it a passive, “and never be seen again.” Modern translations tend to use: (1) the literal form “the eye accustomed to see him” (New Jerusalem Bible); (2) an impersonal subject “one used to see him” (Bible en français courant); or (3) the subject supplied from the next line, “those who lived with him and saw him” (Biblia Dios Habla Hoy).

Nor will his place any more behold him: in this line his place, meaning “the place where he lived,” is parallel to The eye in the first line. It is necessary in many languages to express this line differently in translation, since his place is not an animate object that sees. Accordingly Biblia Dios Habla Hoy has “Those who lived with him.” New Jerusalem Bible translates “His home (meaning the people of his home) will never set eye on him again.” Good News Translation has translated the implication of no one seeing him: “He will disappear from the place where he used to live.” This line may also be expressed “nor will his family members see him again” or “nor will those of his household see him again.”

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 .