1
ὑπολαβὼν δὲ Βαλδαδ ὁ Σαυχίτης λέγει
Then Bildad the Shuhite took up the matter and says:
The customary reply formula introduces Bildad's final and notably compressed speech.
Word-by-word analysis· 6 words
ὑπολαβὼνtaking upVB · ααπνσμ λαμβάνω + ὑποparticipial verbal form introducing the speaker's reply action→ attendant actionλαμβάνω + ὑπο: here marks the formal taking up of speech in the dialogue.
δὲthenX · δέconnective particle advancing the discourse to the next speaker→ divine majesty and human impurityδέ: marks transition to the next turn in the debate.
ΒαλδαδBildadN NSM · Βαλδαδproper name identifying the speaker→ divine majesty and human impurityΒαλδαδ: Job's friend from Shuah, here giving his last speech.
ὁtheRA NSM · ὁarticle introducing the speaker's ethnic designation→ divine majesty and human impurityὁ: the article substantivizes or specifies the following identifier.
ΣαυχίτηςShuhiteN1M NSM · Σαυχίτηςnominative apposition further identifying Bildad→ divine majesty and human impurityΣαυχίτης: the gentilic title marking Bildad's origin.
λέγειsaysV1 PAI3S · λέγωmain reporting verb of the introductory formula→ imperfective reportingλέγω: introduces the content of Bildad's speech.
2
τί γὰρ προοίμιον ἢ φόβος παρ' αὐτοῦ ὁ ποιῶν τὴν σύμπασαν ἐν ὑψίστῳ
For what preeminence or dread is there from him, he who makes the whole order in the heights?
Bildad grounds his speech in God's transcendent rule, stressing the awe that issues from him.
Word-by-word analysis· 13 words
τίwhatRI NSN · τίςinterrogative nominative opening the rhetorical question→ divine majesty and human impurityτίς: asks not for information but for acknowledgment of God's unique supremacy.
γὰρforX · γάρexplanatory particle grounding the claim→ divine majesty and human impurityγάρ: introduces the rationale for Bildad's compressed theology.
προοίμιονpreeminenceN2N NSN · προοίμιονnominative predicate term describing what belongs to God→ divine majesty and human impurityπροοίμιον: a leading or chief place, here divine precedence.
ἢorC · ἤcoordinating particle joining parallel predicate terms→ divine majesty and human impurityἤ: pairs two aspects of divine majesty.
φόβοςdreadN2 NSM · φόβοςcoordinated nominative predicate naming the awe God inspires→ divine majesty and human impurityφόβος: reverent terror produced by divine sovereignty.
παρ'fromP · παράpreposition marking source→ divine majesty and human impurityπαρά: locates the source of rule and dread in God himself.
αὐτοῦhimRD GSM · αὐτόςgenitive complement of source with the preposition→ divine majesty and human impurityαὐτός: refers to God as the source of sovereign awe.
ὁthe one whoRA NSM · ὁarticle substantivizing the participle that follows→ divine majesty and human impurityὁ: turns the participle into a descriptive title.
ποιῶνmakingV2 · παπνσμ ποιέωsubstantival participle describing God's ongoing action→ imperfective characterizationποιέω: portrays God as the one who orders reality.
τὴνtheRA ASF · ὁarticle marking the object of the participle→ divine majesty and human impurityὁ: introduces the totality under God's ordering action.
σύμπασανwholeA1A ASF · σύμπαςaccusative modifier stressing total scope→ divine majesty and human impurityσύμπας: emphasizes entirety without remainder.
ἐνinP · ἐνpreposition marking sphere→ divine majesty and human impurityἐν: places the divine ordering within the highest realm.
ὑψίστῳthe heightsA1 DSM · ὕψιστοςdative complement of sphere with the preposition→ divine majesty and human impurityὕψιστος: the highest realm, suitable to God's transcendent dominion.
3
μὴ γάρ τις ὑπολάβοι ὅτι ἔστιν παρέλκυσις πειραταῖς ἐπὶ τίνας δὲ οὐκ ἐπελεύσεται ἔνεδρα παρ' αὐτοῦ
For let no one suppose that there is any evasion for raiders; upon whom does an ambush from him not come?
Bildad extends the claim: no class of violent men can escape the reach of God's hidden judgment.
Word-by-word analysis· 16 words
μὴnotD · μήnegative particle used with the exhortatory sense of the clause→ divine majesty and human impurityμή: blocks the false supposition Bildad rejects.
γάρforX · γάρparticle continuing the explanation→ divine majesty and human impurityγάρ: supports the prior claim with a further maxim.
τιςanyoneRI NSM · τιςindefinite nominative subject of the supposition→ divine majesty and human impurityτις: universalizes the warning.
ὑπολάβοιshould supposeVB AAO3S · λαμβάνω + ὑποaorist optative giving the rhetorical prohibition or possibility→ ingressive suppositionλαμβάνω + ὑπο: here means to assume or take for granted.
ὅτιthatC · ὅτιsubordinator introducing the content of supposition→ divine majesty and human impurityὅτι: marks the content clause.
ἔστινthere isV9 PAI3S · εἰμίmain verb of the content clause→ stative assertionεἰμί: asserts supposed existence.
παρέλκυσιςescapeN3I NSF · παρέλκυσιςpredicate nominative naming the imagined escape→ divine majesty and human impurityπαρέλκυσις: a slipping away or evasive escape from judgment.
πειραταῖςfor raidersN1M DPM · πειρατήςdative of reference naming those imagined to escape→ divine majesty and human impurityπειρατής: violent plunderers or marauders.
ἐπὶuponP · ἐπίpreposition introducing the object of the follow-up question→ divine majesty and human impurityἐπί: directs the action toward its target.
τίναςwhomRI APM · τίςinterrogative accusative object in the rhetorical question→ divine majesty and human impurityτίς: asks universally whom God's judgment misses.
δὲthenX · δέmild adversative or continuative particle shifting to the question→ divine majesty and human impurityδέ: pivots from denial to rhetorical challenge.
οὐκnotD · οὐnegator marking the universal force of the question→ divine majesty and human impurityοὐ: expects the answer 'no one.'
ἐπελεύσεταιwill come uponVF FMI3S · ἔρχομαι + ἐπιfuture verb of attack or visitation→ future arrivalἔρχομαι + ἐπι: here depicts judgment overtaking its object.
ἔνεδραambushN1A NSF · ἔνεδραnominative subject naming the threatening visitation→ divine majesty and human impurityἔνεδρα: a lurking attack or sudden strike.
παρ'fromP · παράpreposition marking source→ divine majesty and human impurityπαρά: again identifies God as the source of judgment.
αὐτοῦhimRD GSM · αὐτόςgenitive complement of source→ divine majesty and human impurityαὐτός: refers back to God as the one from whom no ambush fails to come.
4
πῶς γὰρ ἔσται δίκαιος βροτὸς ἔναντι κυρίου ἢ τίς ἂν ἀποκαθαρίσαι ἑαυτὸν γεννητὸς γυναικός
For how can a mortal be righteous before the Lord, or who born of woman could cleanse himself?
The speech turns from cosmic rule to anthropology: mortal beings cannot establish righteousness before God.
Word-by-word analysis· 14 words
πῶςhowD · πῶςinterrogative adverb opening a rhetorical impossibility→ divine majesty and human impurityπῶς: asks how such righteousness could ever occur.
γὰρforX · γάρparticle drawing the inference→ divine majesty and human impurityγάρ: connects divine majesty with human incapacity.
ἔσταιwill beVF FMI3S · εἰμίmain future verb of existential possibility→ future possibilityεἰμί: here asks whether righteousness can obtain.
δίκαιοςrighteousA1A NSM · δίκαιοςpredicate nominative describing the mortal subject→ divine majesty and human impurityδίκαιος: morally right or vindicated before God.
βροτὸςmortalN2 NSM · βροτόςnominative subject emphasizing creaturely frailty→ divine majesty and human impurityβροτός: a human precisely as subject to death.
ἔναντιbeforeP · ἔναντιpreposition marking presence or standard of judgment→ divine majesty and human impurityἔναντι: places the question in God's presence.
κυρίουthe LordN2 GSM · κύριοςgenitive complement of the preposition→ divine majesty and human impurityκύριος: the divine judge before whom the question is posed.
ἢorC · ἤcoordinator joining a second rhetorical question→ divine majesty and human impurityἤ: sharpens the argument by restating it.
τίςwhoRI NSM · τίςinterrogative nominative subject of the second clause→ divine majesty and human impurityτίς: no actual candidate is expected.
ἂνcouldX · ἄνparticle marking potentiality→ divine majesty and human impurityἄν: softens the clause into rhetorical potential.
ἀποκαθαρίσαιcleanseVA AAO3S · καθαρίζω + ἀποaorist optative expressing potential self-purification→ potential actκαθαρίζω + ἀπο: to cleanse fully or remove impurity.
ἑαυτὸνhimselfRD ASM · ἑαυτοῦreflexive accusative object of the cleansing verb→ divine majesty and human impurityἑαυτοῦ: marks the impossibility of self-purification.
γεννητὸςone bornA1 NSM · γεννητόςnominative substantive identifying the human subject→ divine majesty and human impurityγεννητός: one brought forth by birth, emphasizing creatureliness.
γυναικόςof womanN3K GSF · γυνήgenitive of source modifying the human subject→ divine majesty and human impurityγυνή: standard biblical phrase for ordinary human birth.
5
εἰ σελήνῃ συντάσσει καὶ οὐκ ἐπιφαύσκει ἄστρα δὲ οὐ καθαρὰ ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ
If he marshals the moon and it does not shine, and the stars are not pure before him,
Bildad heightens the contrast by comparing humanity with the heavenly bodies themselves.
Word-by-word analysis· 12 words
εἰifC · εἰconditional connector setting up the comparative premise→ divine majesty and human impurityεἰ: introduces the lesser-to-greater comparison.
σελήνῃthe moonN1 DSF · σελήνηdative object or reference term with the governing verb→ divine majesty and human impurityσελήνη: the moon as one of the great lights under God's order.
συντάσσειhe marshalsV1 PAI3S · τάσσω + συνmain verb describing God's ordering action→ imperfective governanceτάσσω + συν: to arrange or deploy in ordered fashion.
καὶandC · καίcoordinator linking the two observations→ divine majesty and human impurityκαί: joins moon and stars in the comparison.
οὐκnotD · οὐnegator of the shining verb→ divine majesty and human impurityοὐ: denies sufficient brightness or purity.
ἐπιφαύσκειshines forthV1 PAI3S · ἐπιφαύσκωmain verb describing the moon's insufficient brilliance→ imperfective portrayalἐπιφαύσκω: to shine upon or shine out.
ἄστραstarsN2N NPN · ἄστρονnominative subject of the following verbless judgment→ divine majesty and human impurityἄστρον: the heavenly lights collectively.
δὲandX · δέcontinuative particle moving to the next element→ divine majesty and human impurityδέ: carries the thought forward with mild contrast.
οὐnotD · οὐnegator in the predicate statement→ divine majesty and human impurityοὐ: denies purity in the divine presence.
καθαρὰpureA1A NPN · καθαρόςpredicate adjective applied to the stars→ divine majesty and human impurityκαθαρός: ceremonially or morally clean, here by analogy utterly spotless.
ἐναντίονbeforeP · ἐναντίονpreposition marking divine presence→ divine majesty and human impurityἐναντίον: sets the standard of evaluation before God.
αὐτοῦhimRD GSM · αὐτόςgenitive complement with the preposition→ divine majesty and human impurityαὐτός: God as the one before whom even heavenly bodies fail.
6
ἔα δέ ἄνθρωπος σαπρία καὶ υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου σκώληξ
how much less is man mere decay, and the son of man a worm.
Bildad concludes with a harsh reduction of humanity to corruption and helpless creatureliness.
Word-by-word analysis· 8 words
ἔαhow much lessI · ἔαexclamatory particle introducing the closing diminution→ divine majesty and human impurityἔα: an interjection pressing the argument to its final reduction.
δέandX · δέparticle linking the conclusion to the comparison→ divine majesty and human impurityδέ: marks the step from stars to humanity.
ἄνθρωποςmanN2 NSM · ἄνθρωποςnominative subject of the implied equation→ divine majesty and human impurityἄνθρωπος: humanity considered in its lowliness.
σαπρίαdecayN1A NSF · σαπρίαpredicate nominative describing man's condition→ divine majesty and human impurityσαπρία: rottenness or corruption as an image of frailty.
καὶandC · καίcoordinator joining the parallel image→ divine majesty and human impurityκαί: adds the second degrading comparison.
υἱὸςsonN2 NSM · υἱόςnominative head of the second parallel subject→ divine majesty and human impurityυἱός: in construct with 'of man' for ordinary humanity.
ἀνθρώπουof manN2 GSM · ἄνθρωποςgenitive complement completing the idiom→ divine majesty and human impurityἄνθρωπος: forms the phrase 'son of man,' emphasizing common humanity.
σκώληξwormN3K NSM · σκώληξpredicate nominative completing the final metaphor→ divine majesty and human impurityσκώληξ: a worm, image of humiliation and mortality.