27:4 my 1 lips will not speak wickedness,
and my tongue will whisper 2 no deceit.
31:5 If 3 I have walked in falsehood,
and if 4 my foot has hastened 5 to deceit –
1 tn The verse begins with אִם (’im), the formula used for the content of the oath (“God lives…if I do/do not…”). Thus, the content of the oath proper is here in v. 4.
2 tn The verb means “to utter; to mumble; to meditate.” The implication is that he will not communicate deceitful things, no matter how quiet or subtle.
3 tn The normal approach is to take this as the protasis, and then have it resumed in v. 7 after a parenthesis in v. 6. But some take v. 6 as the apodosis and a new protasis in v. 7.
4 tn The “if” is understood by the use of the consecutive verb.
5 sn The verbs “walk” and “hasten” (referring in the verse to the foot) are used metaphorically for the manner of life Job lived.