¹ sn The text has “the left hand,” the Semitic idiom for directions. One faces the rising sun, and so left is north, right is south.

² tc The form בַּעֲשֹׂתוֹ (ba’asoto) would be the temporal clause using the infinitive construct with a pronoun (subject genitive). This would be “when he works.” Several follow the Syriac with “I seek him.” The LXX has “[when] he turns.” R. Gordis (Job, 261) notes that there is no need to emend the text; he shows a link to the Arabic cognate ghasa, “to cover.” To him this is a perfect parallel to יַעְטֹף (ya’tof, “covers himself”).

³ tn The verb is the apocopated form of the imperfect. The object is supplied.

⁴ tn The MT has “he turns,” but the Syriac and Vulgate have “I turn.”

⁵ tn The phrase “the robber” has been supplied in the English translation for clarification.

⁶ tc This is not the idea of the adulterer, but of the thief. So some commentators reverse the order and put this verse after v. 14.

⁷ tc The verb חִתְּמוּ (khittÿmu) is the Piel from the verb חָתַם (khatam, “to seal”). The verb is now in the plural, covering all the groups mentioned that work under the cover of darkness. The suggestion that they “seal,” i.e., “mark” the house they will rob, goes against the meaning of the word “seal.”

⁸ tc Some commentators join this very short colon to the beginning of v. 17: “they do not know the light. For together…” becomes “for together they have not known the light.”

⁹ sn The point is that if God does not listen to those who do not turn to him, how much less likely is he to turn to one who complains against him.

¹⁰ tn The text uses the infinitive as the object: “do you know the giving birth of?”

¹¹ tn Or “ibex.”