Job 10:2

I will say to God, ‘Do not condemn ¹  me; tell me ²  why you are contending ³  with me.’

Job 8:5,6; Job 34:31,32; Ps 6:1-4; Ps 25:7; Ps 38:1-8; Ps 109:21; Ps 139:23,24; Ps 143:2; La 3:40-42; La 5:16,17; Ro 8:1; 1Co 11:31,32

¹ tn The negated jussive is the Hiphil jussive of רָשַׁע (rasha’); its meaning then would be literally “do not declare me guilty.” The negated jussive stresses the immediacy of the request.

² tn The Hiphil imperative of יָדַע (yada’) would more literally be “cause me to know.” It is a plea for God to help him understand the afflictions.

³ tn The verb is רִיב (riv), meaning “to dispute; to contend; to strive; to quarrel” – often in the legal sense. The precise words chosen in this verse show that the setting is legal. The imperfect verb here is progressive, expressing what is currently going on.