The result of sickness is his loss of appetite. So that his life loathes bread: his life refers to the sick man, and so Good News Translation translates “The sick man” as the subject of line a. What the sick person loathes, “dislikes, has no desire for,” is bread, which stands here for “food” in the general sense.

And his appetite dainty food: appetite is used here as the subject which loathes … dainty food. Appetite translates “his nefesh,” which is commonly used in Hebrew in connection with desires and is suitably translated appetite in this context. Dainty food is literally “food of desire” and refers to the special foods a person likes, often referred to in English as “special or favorite dishes.” Many languages have special terms to designate particular foods that appeal to the appetite. The line may be rendered “and he cannot stand his favorite dishes” or “and even his favorite dishes are repulsive to him.”

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 .