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Who has ever perished when innocent?

Eliphaz uses this question to prompt Job to search his life for sin (and God's righteous judgment) as the cause of his loss. AT: "No one has ever perished when innocent." (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion)

when were the upright people ever cut off

This question also means to make a statement, and may be put into active form. AT: "No one has ever cut off an upright person" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion and rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive)

cut off

Here being cut off represents being destroyed. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)

plow iniquity ... sow trouble ... reap

Here the actions of plowing and sowing represent causing trouble for other people. The action of reaping represents suffering the trouble that one has himself caused. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)

By the breath of God they perish; by the blast of his anger they are consumed

The writer explains a single idea using two different statements. This is a form of Hebrew poetry used for emphasis, clarity, teaching, or all three. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism)

the breath of God

This may represent the action of God giving a command. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)

the blast of his anger

This expression suggests the heavy breathing that a person sometimes does through his nose when he is very angry. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)

breath ... blast

The second builds on the first. They make the same point by using meanings that increase the result. "By the puff of God's mouth they die; the rushing wind of his anger devastates them." (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)

perish ... are consumed

The second phrase builds on the first. They make the same point. "By the puff of God's breath they die, the rushing wind of his anger devastates them." (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive)

they are consumed

Here being consumed or eaten represents being killed. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)

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