Job 22:8

Although you were a powerful man, ¹  owning land, ²  an honored man ³  living on it, ⁴ 

though you were a powerful man, owning land—an honoured man, living on it.

"But the earth belongs to the mighty man, And the honorable man dwells in it.

After all, you think the land belongs to the powerful and that those who are privileged have a right to it!

And there you sat, strong and honored by everyone, surrounded by immense wealth!

For it was the man with power who had the land, and the man with an honoured name who was living in it.

The powerful possess the land, and the favored live in it.

But the mighty man possessed the land, And the honorable man dwelt in it.

Although you were a powerful man, ¹  owning land, ²  an honored man ³  living on it, ⁴ 

¹ tn The idiom is “a man of arm” (= “powerful”; see Ps 10:15). This is in comparison to the next line, “man of face” (= “dignity; high rank”; see Isa 3:5).

² tn Heb “and a man of arm, to whom [was] land.” The line is in contrast to the preceding one, and so the vav here introduces a concessive clause.

³ tn The expression is unusual: “the one lifted up of face.” This is the “honored one,” the one to whom the dignity will be given.

⁴ tn Many commentators simply delete the verse or move it elsewhere. Most take it as a general reference to Job, perhaps in apposition to the preceding verse.