King James Version

Job 40:4

Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.

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Hebrew

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הֵ֣ןhenifהֵןparticle, demonstrative — “if”H2005lo!; also (as expressing surprise) ifbehold, if, lo, though.קַ֭לֹּתִיqalotimake brightקָלַלverb, qal, perfect, 1st person, common, singular — “make bright”, a completed actionH7043to be (causatively, make) light, literally (swift, small, sharp, etc.) or figuratively (easy, trifling, vile, etc.)abate, make bright, bring into contempt, (ac-) curse, despise, (be) ease(-y, -ier), (be a, make, make somewhat, move, seem a, set) light(-en, -er, -ly, -ly afflict, -ly esteem, thing), [idiom] slight(-ly), be swift(-er), (be, be more, make…מָ֣הmahhowמָהparticle, interrogative — “how”H4100properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senseshow (long, oft, (-soever)), (no-) thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing), whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.אֲשִׁיבֶ֑ךָּashivekaagainשׁוּבverb, hiphil, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “again”, an unfinished actionH7725to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) [idiom] again, (cause to) answer ([phrase] again), [idiom] in any case (wise), [idiom] at all, averse, bring (again,…יָ֝דִ֗יyadihandיָדnoun, common, both genders, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “hand”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3027a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),([phrase] be) able, [idiom] about, [phrase] armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, [idiom] bounty, [phrase] broad, (broken-) handed, [idiom] by, charge, coast, [phrase] consecrate, [phrase] creditor, custody, debt, dominion, […שַׂ֣מְתִּיsamtiputשׂוּםverb, qal, perfect, 1st person, common, singular — “put”, a completed actionH7760to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)[idiom] any wise, appoint, bring, call (a name), care, cast in, change, charge, commit, consider, convey, determine, [phrase] disguise, dispose, do, get, give, heap up, hold, impute, lay (down, up), leave, look, make (out), mark, [phrase]…לְמוֹlemvoforלְמוֹpreposition — “for”H3926to or forat, for, to, upon.פִֽיfiedgeפֶּהnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “edge”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6310the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech); specifically edge, portion or side; adverbially (with preposition) according toaccord(-ing as, -ing to), after, appointment, assent, collar, command(-ment), [idiom] eat, edge, end, entry, [phrase] file, hole, [idiom] in, mind, mouth, part, portion, [idiom] (should) say(-ing), sentence, skirt, sound, speech, [idiom] s…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer Thee? I lay my hand upon my mouth.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer thee? I lay my hand upon my mouth.

Young’s Literal Translation

Lo, I have been vile, What do I return to Thee? My hand I have placed on my mouth.

World English Bible

“Behold, I am of small account. What will I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth.

Darby Translation

Behold, I am nought: what shall I answer thee? I will lay my hand upon my mouth.

Douay-Rheims

And hast thou an arm like God, and canst thou thunder with a voice like him?

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer Thee? I lay my hand upon my mouth.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Why do I yet plead? being rebuked even while reproving the Lord: hearing such things, whereas I am nothing: and what shall I answer to these arguments ? I will lay my hand upon my mouth.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

τί ἔτι ἐγὼ κρίνομαι, νουθετούμενος καὶ ἐλέγχων Κύριον, ἀκούων τοιαῦτα οὐθὲν ὤν; ἐγὼ δὲ τίνα ἀπόκρισιν δῶ πρὸς ταῦτα; χεῖρα θήσω ἐπὶ στόματί μου.