King James Version

Job 37:20

Shall it be told him that I speak? if a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up.

Study

Hebrew

Tap a word to see its meaning. Words run left to right in English reading order.

הַֽיְסֻפַּרhaysuparthe communeסָפַרparticle, interrogative, verb, pual, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “the commune”, an unfinished actionH5608properly, to score with a mark as a tally or record, i.e. (by implication) to inscribe, and also to enumerate; intensively, to recount, i.e. celebratecommune, (ac-) count; declare, number, [phrase] penknife, reckon, scribe, shew forth, speak, talk, tell (out), writer.ל֭וֹlvotoל֭וֹpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “to”toכִּ֣יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…אֲדַבֵּ֑רadaberspeakדָבַרverb, piel, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular — “speak”, an unfinished actionH1696perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdueanswer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use (entreaties), utter, [idiom] well, [idiom] work.אִֽםimoh thatאִםconjunction — “oh that”H518used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not(and, can-, doubtless, if, that) (not), [phrase] but, either, [phrase] except, [phrase] more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or, [phrase] save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, [phrase] surely (no more, none, not), t…אָ֥מַרamarsayאָמַרverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “say”, a completed actionH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…אִ֝֗ישׁisha certainאִישׁnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “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…כִּ֣יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…יְבֻלָּֽעyevuladestroyבָּלַעverb, pual, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “destroy”, an unfinished actionH1104to make away with (specifically by swallowing); generally, to destroycover, destroy, devour, eat up, be at end, spend up, swallow down (up).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Shall it be told Him that I would speak? Or should a man wish that he were swallowed up?

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Shall it be told him that I would speak? Or should a man wish that he were swallowed up?

Young’s Literal Translation

Is it declared to Him that I speak? If a man hath spoken, surely he is swallowed up.

World English Bible

Will it be told him that I would speak? Or should a man wish that he were swallowed up?

Darby Translation

Shall it be told him if I would speak? if a man [so] say, surely he shall be swallowed up.

Douay-Rheims

Who shall tell him the things I speak? even if a man shall speak, he shall be swallowed up.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Shall it be told Him that I would speak? Or should a man wish that he were swallowed up?

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Have I a book or a scribe by me, that I may stand and put man to silence?

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Μὴ βίβλος ἢ γραμματεύς μοι παρέστηκεν, ἵνα ἄνθρωπον ἑστηκὼς κατασιωπήσω;