Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low: except for “abase” verse 12a is identical to verse 11b, and the verb translated as bring him low means the same as the one translated as “abase.” Some scholars delete this line as a copyist’s error, but it is probably best understood as emphasis. Good News Translation recognizes the repetition by prefixing “Yes” before this line.

And tread down is accurately and vividly expressed by “crush.” Where they stand is literally “beneath them,” but it also means “in their place” in 34.24; 36.20, and has the sense here of “on the spot.” So Job is invited to crush the proud immediately before they can react. Verse 12 may also be rendered “Even more, make those who think they are important to become like nothing, and smash evil people right now” or “Make people with swollen hearts to be as if they were nothing, and crush the wicked quickly.”

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 .