complete verse (Job 24:25)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Job 24:25:

  • Kupsabiny: “Who will say that it is not like that?
    Is there anyone who is able to show that these words are not true?” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “If it is not so, who can judge me as a liar,
    or who can show that my words are useless?” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “If what I say is not right, who can-prove that I lie? Who can-say that I am wrong?’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Job 24:25

If it is not so, who will prove me a liar…?: Dhorme and New Jerusalem Bible connect this verse with Job’s speech that ended with verse 17. Good News Translation keeps it as the final verse of Zophar’s speech. Bible en français courant closes the quotation at the end of verse 24, so that verse 25 is again the words of Job. In other translations (including Revised Standard Version), which do not set off verses 18-25 from the rest of chapter 24, verse 25 will be taken as the words of Job. All of these solutions have their merits, since the challenge in verse 25 suits Job just as well as the friends or Zophar in particular. Revised Standard Version translates the line with If … who. Good News Translation expresses both lines as questions. It refers to all that has been said in verses 18-24. If the translator follows Revised Standard Version, this line may be rendered, for example, “If what I have said is not true, is there someone who will show me I am wrong?” “If all that I said is not true, please prove me a liar,” or “If I have said things that are wrong, show me that I am a liar.”

And show that there is nothing in what I say is literally “and make into nothing my speech.” This may be rendered “show that I am mistaken,” or as Good News Translation, “prove that my words are not true.”

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 .