New International Version
Job 11:12
12But the witless can no more become wise than a wild donkey’s colt can be born 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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)An empty-headed person won’t become wise any more than a wild donkey can bear a human child.
Context of Job 11:12
10“If he comes along and confines you in prison and convenes a court, who can oppose him? 11Surely he recognizes deceivers; and when he sees evil, does he not take note? But the witless can no more become wise than a wild donkey’s colt can be born human. 13“Yet if you devote your heart to him and stretch out your hands to him, 14if you put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent,
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 62:9Surely the lowborn are but a breath, the highborn are but a lie. If weighed on a balance, they are nothing; together they are only a breath.
- Psalms 73:22I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you.
- Psalms 92:6Senseless people do not know, fools do not understand,
- Ecclesiastes 3:18I also said to myself, “As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals.
- Romans 1:22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools
- James 2:20You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?
- Job 5:13He catches the wise in their craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are swept away.
- Job 12:2“Doubtless you are the only people who matter, and wisdom will die with you!
- Job 28:28And he said to the human race, “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.”
- Proverbs 30:2Surely I am only a brute, not a man; I do not have human understanding.
- Romans 12:16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
- 1 Corinthians 3:18Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise.
- James 3:13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
- Job 15:14“What are mortals, that they could be pure, or those born of woman, that they could be righteous?
- Psalms 51:5Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
- Ephesians 2:3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.
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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