King James Version

Job 11:12

For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass’s colt.

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Hebrew

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וְאִ֣ישׁveishand a certainאִישׁconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “and a certain”, the ordinary formH376a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phra…נָ֭בוּבnavuvhollowנָבַבverb, qal, passive participle, absolute — “hollow”, a verb used as a describing wordH5014to pierce; to be hollow, or (figuratively) foolishhollow, vain.יִלָּבֵ֑בyilavevmake cakesלָבַבverb, niphal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “make cakes”, an unfinished actionH3823(in a good sense) transport (with love), or (in a bad sense) stultify; to make cakesmake cakes, ravish, be wise.וְעַ֥יִרveayirand coltעַיִרconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “and colt”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5895properly, a young ass (as just broken to a load); hence an ass-colt(ass) colt, foal, young ass.פֶּ֝֗רֶאperewildפֶּרֶאnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “wild”, the ordinary formH6501the onagerwild (ass).אָדָ֥םadampersonאָדָםnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “person”, the ordinary formH120ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)[idiom] another, [phrase] hypocrite, [phrase] common sort, [idiom] low, man (mean, of low degree), person.יִוָּלֵֽדyivaledbearיָלַדverb, niphal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “bear”, an unfinished actionH3205to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show lineagebear, beget, birth(-day), born, (make to) bring forth (children, young), bring up, calve, child, come, be delivered (of a child), time of delivery, gender, hatch, labour, (do the office of a) midwife, declare pedigrees, be the son of, (wom…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

But an empty man will get understanding, when a wild ass's colt is born a man.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

But vain man is void of understanding, Yea, man is born as a wild ass’s colt.

Young’s Literal Translation

And empty man is bold, And the colt of a wild ass man is born.

World English Bible

An empty-headed man becomes wise when a man is born as a wild donkey’s colt.

Darby Translation

Yet a senseless man will make bold, though man be born [like] the foal of a wild ass.

Douay-Rheims

A vain man is lifted up into pride, and thinketh himself born free like a wild ass’s colt.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

But an empty man will get understanding, when a wild ass's colt is born a man.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

But man vainly buoys himself up with words; and a mortal born of woman is like an ass of the desert.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἄνθρωπος δὲ ἄλλως νήχεται λόγοις· βροτὸς δὲ γεννητὸς γυναικὸς, ἶσα ὄνῳ ἐρημίτῃ.