Job

Job 12:7–13

⁷But ask the animals, and they will instruct you;

ask the birds of the air, and they will tell you.

⁸Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you;

let the fish of the sea inform you.

⁹Which of all these does not know

that the hand of the LORD has done this?

¹⁰The life of every living thing is in His hand,

as well as the breath of all mankind.

¹¹Does not the ear test words

as the tongue tastes its food?

¹²Wisdom is found with the elderly,

and understanding comes with long life.

¹³Wisdom and strength belong to God;

counsel and understanding are His.

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But	וְֽאוּלָ֗ם	wə·’ū·lām	Conjunction	H199 but, but indeed
ask	שְׁאַל־	šə·’al-	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H7592 ask, inquire
the animals	בְהֵמ֣וֹת	ḇə·hê·mō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural	H929 beast, animal, cattle
and they will instruct you	וְתֹרֶ֑ךָּ	wə·ṯō·re·kā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect - third person feminine singular; second person masculine singular	H3384 throw, shoot
ask the birds	וְע֥וֹף	wə·‘ō·wp̄	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct	H5775 flying creatures, fowl, insects
of the air	הַ֝שָּׁמַ֗יִם	haš·šā·ma·yim	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H8064 sky, aloft
and they will tell	וְיַגֶּד־	wə·yag·geḏ-	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular	H5046 be conspicuous
you	לָֽךְ׃	lāḵ	Preposition; second person feminine singular

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Or	א֤וֹ	’ōw	Conjunction	H176 or
speak	שִׂ֣יחַ	śî·aḥ	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H7878 muse, complain
to the earth	לָאָ֣רֶץ	lā·’ā·reṣ	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land
and it will teach you	וְתֹרֶ֑ךָּ	wə·ṯō·re·kā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect - third person feminine singular; second person masculine singular	H3384 throw, shoot
let the fish	דְּגֵ֣י	də·ḡê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1709 fish
of the sea	הַיָּֽם׃	hay·yām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3220 sea
inform	וִֽיסַפְּר֥וּ	wî·sap·pə·rū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5608 count
you	לְ֝ךָ֗	lə·ḵā	Preposition; second person masculine singular

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Which	מִ֭י	mî	Interrogative	H4310 who?
of all	בְּכָל־	bə·ḵāl	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
these	אֵ֑לֶּה	’êl·leh	Pronoun - common plural	H428 these
does not	לֹא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
know	יָדַ֣ע	yā·ḏa‘	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H3045 know
that	כִּ֥י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
the hand	יַד־	yaḏ-	Noun - feminine singular construct	H3027 hand
of the LORD	יְ֝הוָה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
has done	עָ֣שְׂתָה	‘ā·śə·ṯāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H6213 do, make
this	זֹּֽאת׃	zōṯ	Pronoun - feminine singular	H2063 this

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The life	נֶ֣פֶשׁ	ne·p̄eš	Noun - feminine singular construct	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
of every	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
living thing	חָ֑י	ḥāy	Adjective - masculine singular	H2416 alive, living
is in His hand	בְּ֭יָדוֹ	bə·yā·ḏōw	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3027 hand
as well as the breath	וְ֝ר֗וּחַ	wə·rū·aḥ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - common singular construct	H7307 breath, wind, spirit
of all	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
mankind	בְּשַׂר־	bə·śar-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1320 flesh

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Does not	הֲלֹא־	hă·lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
the ear	אֹ֭זֶן	’ō·zen	Noun - feminine singular	H241 ear
test	תִּבְחָ֑ן	tiḇ·ḥān	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H974 examine, try
words	מִלִּ֣ין	mil·lîn	Noun - feminine plural	H4405 word, speech, utterance
as the tongue	וְ֝חֵ֗ךְ	wə·ḥêḵ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H2441 palate, roof of mouth, gums
tastes	יִטְעַם־	yiṭ·‘am-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H2938 taste, perceive
its	לֽוֹ׃	lōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular
food	אֹ֣כֶל	’ō·ḵel	Noun - masculine singular	H400 food

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Wisdom	חָכְמָ֑ה	ḥāḵ·māh	Noun - feminine singular	H2451 wisdom
is found with the elderly	בִּֽישִׁישִׁ֥ים	bî·šî·šîm	Preposition-b; Adjective - masculine plural	H3453 aged
and understanding	תְּבוּנָֽה׃	tə·ḇū·nāh	Noun - feminine singular	H8394 intelligence, argument, caprice
comes with long	וְאֹ֖רֶךְ	wə·’ō·reḵ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct	H753 length
life	יָמִ֣ים	yā·mîm	Noun - masculine plural	H3117 day

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Wisdom	חָכְמָ֣ה	ḥāḵ·māh	Noun - feminine singular	H2451 wisdom
and strength	וּגְבוּרָ֑ה	ū·ḡə·ḇū·rāh	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular	H1369 strength, might
belong to God	עִ֭מּוֹ	‘im·mōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H5973 with
counsel	עֵצָ֥ה	‘ê·ṣāh	Noun - feminine singular	H6098 counsel, advice
and understanding are His	וּתְבוּנָֽה׃	ū·ṯə·ḇū·nāh	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular	H8394 intelligence, argument, caprice