Christian Standard Bible
Job 11:12
12But a stupid person will gain understanding as soon as a wild donkey is born a human!
Job 11:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass’s colt.
- New International Version (NIV)But the witless can no more become wise than a wild donkey’s colt can be born human.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But a stupid man will get understanding when a wild donkey's colt is born a man!
- New King James Version (NKJV)For an empty-headed man will be wise, When a wild donkey’s colt is born a man.
Context of Job 11:12
10If he passes by and throws someone in prison or convenes a court, who can stop him? 11Surely he knows which people are worthless. If he sees iniquity, will he not take note of it? But a stupid person will gain understanding as soon as a wild donkey is born a human! 13As for you, if you redirect your heart and spread out your hands to him in prayer — 14if there is iniquity in your hand, remove it, and don’t allow injustice to dwell in your tents —
Read all of Job 11Job 11:12 word by word
וְאִ֣ישׁ נָ֭בוּב יִלָּבֵ֑ב וְעַ֥יִר פֶּ֝֗רֶא אָדָ֥ם יִוָּלֵֽד׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Job 11:12
- Psalms 62:9Common people are only a vapor; important people, an illusion. Together on a scale, they weigh less than a vapor.
- Psalms 73:22I was stupid and didn’t understand; I was an unthinking animal toward you.
- Psalms 92:6A stupid person does not know, a fool does not understand this:
- Ecclesiastes 3:18I said to myself, “This happens so that God may test the children of Adam and they may see for themselves that they are like animals.”
- Romans 1:22Claiming to be wise, they became fools
- James 2:20Senseless person! Are you willing to learn that faith without works is useless?
- Job 5:13He traps the wise in their craftiness so that the plans of the deceptive are quickly brought to an end.
- Job 12:2No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you!
- Job 28:28He said to mankind, “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom. And to turn from evil is understanding.”
- Proverbs 30:2I am more stupid than any other person, and I lack a human’s ability to understand.
- Romans 12:16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation.
- 1 Corinthians 3:18Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks he is wise in this age, let him become a fool so that he can become wise.
- James 3:13Who among you is wise and understanding? By his good conduct he should show that his works are done in the gentleness that comes from wisdom.
- Job 15:14What is a mere human, that he should be pure, or one born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
- Psalms 51:5Indeed, I was guilty when I was born; I was sinful when my mother conceived me.
- Ephesians 2:3We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also.
Commentaries on Job 11:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12For vain man would be wise - The original is difficult and uncertain, ילבב נבוב ואיש veish nabub yillabeb, "And shall the hollow man assume courage," or "pride himself?" Or, as Mr. Good rather paraphrases it, Will he then accept the hollow-hearted person? The Chaldee gives two renderings: An eloquent man shall become wiser in his heart, and the colt of the wild ass is born as the son of man. Or, The wise man shall ponder it; and the refractory youth, who…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12For vain man - Margin, “empty.” נבוב nâbûb according to Gesenius, from the root נבב nâbab to bore through, and then to be hollow; metaphorical, “empty,” “foolish.” The Septuagint, strangely enough, renders this,” but man floats about with words.” The Hebrew here means, manifestly, hollow, empty; then insincere and hypocritical. Zophar refers to a hollow-hearted man, who, though he was in fact like a wild ass‘s colt, attempted to appear mild and gentle…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-12Verses 7-12 Zophar speaks well concerning God and his greatness and glory, concerning man and his vanity and folly. See here what man is; and let him be humbled. God sees this concerning vain man, that he would be wise, would be thought so, though he is born like a wild ass's colt, so unteachable and untameable. Man is a vain creature; empty, so the word is. Yet he is a proud creature, and self-conceited. He would be wise, would be thought so, though he…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. vain--hollow. would be--"wants to consider himself wise"; opposed to God's "wisdom" (see on Job 11:11); refuses to see sin, where God sees it (Ro 1:22). wild ass's colt--a proverb for untamed wildness (Job 39:5, 8; Jr 2:24; Ge 16:12; Hebrew, "a wild-ass man"). Man wishes to appear wisely obedient to his Lord, whereas he is, from his birth, unsubdued in spirit.Read the comment
Topics related to Job 11:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Job 11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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