In Hebrew verse 23 begins with “If,” and verses 24 and 25 begin with “and,” expressing implied conditions, each of which Revised Standard Version translates with “if.”

If you return to the Almighty and humble yourself: return to the Almighty means “to be converted from your ways, to change your ways,” and most modern translations use “return to” or “turn to.” The thought is that Job has strayed from the ways of God and must “come back to God.” Humble yourself follows the Septuagint, which is preferred by many interpreters. The Hebrew has “you will be built up.” (See Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation footnotes.) Good News Translation and others express humble yourself as a qualifier of return: “You must humbly return to God.” Hebrew Old Testament Text Project rates the Hebrew as “B” and translates “You will be restored.” In this case the Hebrew text makes good sense and should be followed.

In some languages it will not be natural to have so many “if” clauses (verses 23-25) before the consequence (verse 26). In such cases it may be necessary to shift to a different type of construction in verses 23-25; for example, “Return to the Almighty,” “Remove unrighteousness.” If the translator follows humble yourself, this is sometimes expressed idiomatically; for example, “make yourself a bowed person,” “hold your hands upon your breast,” “be a head-lowered person.” This line may be rendered, for example, “If you change your ways, look down with the eyes and follow the Almighty God.” Following the Hebrew text one may translate, for example, “If you will trust the Almighty, he will restore you” or “If…, he will make you what you used to be.”

If you remove unrighteousness far from your tents: see comments on 11.14.

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 .