Matthew Poole and continuators on Job 6:26

26. Do ye imagin to reprove words , and to reprove the speeches of one that is desperate , which are as wind ?

i. e. Do you think that all your Arguments are solid and unanswerable, and all my Answers are but idle and empty words? Or, do you think it is sufficient to cavil and quarrel with some of my words and expressions, without considering the merits of the cause, and the truth of my condition, or giving an allowance for humane infirmity, or for my extreme misery, which may easily force from me some indecent expressions?

Of a poor miserable, hopeless and helpless man: for the words of such persons are commonly neglected and despised, although there be truth and great weight in them. See Eccles. 9. 16. And such are generally thought to speak from deep passions and prejudices more than from reason and judgment.

i. e. Which you esteem to be like the Wind, vain and light, without solid substance, making a great noise with little sense, and to little purpose. But this last branch of the verse may be, and by many is rendred otherwise: And, do ye imagine (which is to be repeated out of the former clause, as is very usual in Scripture) the words of one that is desperate to be but wind? i. e. empty and vain. Do you take me for a desperate and distracted man that knows not, or cares not what he saith, but only speaks what comes first into his mind and mouth? The Wind is oft used to express vain words, as Ch. 15. 2. Ier. 5. 13. and vain things, Iob 7. 7. Prov. 11. 29. Some render the whole verse thus, Do you in your arguings think, or ought you to think the discourses of a dejected, or desponding, or sorely afflicted man (such as I am) to be but words and wind? i. e. vain and empty, as indeed the discourses of such persons use to be esteemed by such as are in an higher and more prosperous condition. But you should judge more impartially, and more mercifully. Possibly the verse may be rendred thus, Do you think to reprove the speeches of a desperate, or dejected, or miserable man (such as I am, and you use me accordingly) with (the praposition being very frequently omitted and understood in the Hebrew tongue) words and with (for the Hebrew prefix, Lamed, oft signifies with, as hath been formerly proved) wind. You think any words or Arguments will be strong enough against one in my circumstances. So it agrees with the foregoing verse.