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 was the upright person ever cut off? ##
This question has the same purpose as the previous question. AT: "Who has ever perished when innocent?" or "No one has ever cut off an upright person." (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]])
## plow iniquity … sow trouble … reap ##
The words "plow," "sow," and "reap" are agricultural terms used figuratively here to suggest that people sometimes bring trouble upon themselves through their choices and actions.
## 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]])
## breath … blast ##
The second builds on the first. They make one 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."
## perish … are consumed ##
The second builds on the first. They make one point by using meanings that increase the result. "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]])
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