Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.
Yet - rather, Truly, or, But. Affliction does not come from chance, but is the appointment of God for sin - i:e., the original birth-sin of man. Eliphaz passes from the particular sin, and consequent suffering of Job, to the universal sin, and suffering of mankind. Troubles spring from man's common sin by as necessary a law of natural consequence as sparks-Hebrew, sons of flame, or burning coal (Song of Solomon 8:6) - fly upward. Troubles are many and fiery as sparks (1 Peter 4:12; Isaiah 43:2). Umbreit for sparks has birds of prey-literally, sons of lightning, so called from their lightning speed. So Maurer, Gesenius, Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate-`As the sons of lightning fly high' (Job 39:27). Not by mere external causes, but by his own nature, man is born to sin, and by sin to misery, as the birds of prey fly upward.