New Living Translation
Job 11:12
12An empty-headed person won’t become wise any more than a wild donkey can bear a human child.
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 God comes and puts a person in prison or calls the court to order, who can stop him? 11For he knows those who are false, and he takes note of all their sins. An empty-headed person won’t become wise any more than a wild donkey can bear a human child. 13“If only you would prepare your heart and lift up your hands to him in prayer! 14Get rid of your sins, and leave all iniquity behind you.
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 as worthless as a puff of wind, and the powerful are not what they appear to be. If you weigh them on the scales, together they are lighter than a breath of air.
- Psalms 73:22I was so foolish and ignorant— I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.
- Psalms 92:6Only a simpleton would not know, and only a fool would not understand this:
- Ecclesiastes 3:18I also thought about the human condition—how God proves to people that they are like animals.
- Romans 1:22Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools.
- James 2:20How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?
- Job 5:13He traps the wise in their own cleverness so their cunning schemes are thwarted.
- Job 12:2“You people really know everything, don’t you? And when you die, wisdom will die with you!
- Job 28:28And this is what he says to all humanity: ‘The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.’”
- Proverbs 30:2I am too stupid to be human, and I lack common sense.
- Romans 12:16Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!
- 1 Corinthians 3:18Stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world’s standards, you need to become a fool to be truly wise.
- James 3:13If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.
- Job 15:14Can any mortal be pure? Can anyone born of a woman be just?
- Psalms 51:5For I was born a sinner— yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.
- Ephesians 2:3All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.
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
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries