Job

Job 4:17–21

¹⁷‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God,

or a man more pure than his Maker?

¹⁸If God puts no trust in His servants,

and He charges His angels with error,

¹⁹how much more those who dwell in houses of clay,

whose foundations are in the dust,

who can be crushed like a moth!

²⁰They are smashed to pieces from dawn to dusk;

unnoticed, they perish forever.

²¹Are not their tent cords pulled up,

so that they die without wisdom?’’’

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
a mortal	הַֽ֭אֱנוֹשׁ	ha·’ĕ·nō·wōš	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H582 man, mankind
be more righteous	יִצְדָּ֑ק	yiṣ·dāq	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6663 be just, righteous
than God	מֵאֱל֣וֹהַ	mê·’ĕ·lō·w·ha	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular	H433 god, God
or	אִ֥ם	’im	Conjunction	H518 if
a man	גָּֽבֶר׃	gā·ḇer	Noun - masculine singular	H1397 man
more pure	יִטְהַר־	yiṭ·har-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H2891 be clean, pure
than his Maker	מֵ֝עֹשֵׂ֗הוּ	mê·‘ō·śê·hū	Preposition-m; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H6213 do, make

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
If	הֵ֣ן	hên	Interjection	H2005 lo! behold
God puts no	לֹ֣א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
trust	יַאֲמִ֑ין	ya·’ă·mîn	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H539 confirm, support
in His servants	בַּ֭עֲבָדָיו	ba·‘ă·ḇā·ḏāw	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H5650 slave, servant
and He charges	יָשִׂ֥ים	yā·śîm	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7760 put, place, set
His angels	וּ֝בְמַלְאָכָ֗יו	ū·ḇə·mal·’ā·ḵāw	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H4397 messenger
with error	תָּהֳלָֽה׃	tā·ho·lāh	Noun - feminine singular	H8417 error

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
how much more	אַ֤ף׀	’ap̄	Conjunction	H637 also, yea
those who dwell	שֹׁכְנֵ֬י	šō·ḵə·nê	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct	H7931 settle down, abide, dwell
in houses	בָֽתֵּי־	ḇāt·tê-	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1004 house
of clay	חֹ֗מֶר	ḥō·mer	Noun - masculine singular	H2563 cement, mortar, clay
whose	אֲשֶׁר־	’ă·šer-	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
foundations	יְסוֹדָ֑ם	yə·sō·w·ḏām	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H3247 foundation, base
are in the dust	בֶּעָפָ֥ר	be·‘ā·p̄ār	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H6083 dry earth, dust
who can be crushed	יְ֝דַכְּא֗וּם	yə·ḏak·kə·’ūm	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural; third person masculine plural	H1792 crush
like a moth	עָֽשׁ׃	‘āš	Noun - masculine singular	H6211 moth

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
They are smashed to pieces	יֻכַּ֑תּוּ	yuk·kat·tū	Verb - Hofal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H3807 beat, crush by beating
from dawn	מִבֹּ֣קֶר	mib·bō·qer	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular	H1242 morning
to dusk	לָעֶ֣רֶב	lā·‘e·reḇ	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H6153 (sun)set, evening
unnoticed	מִבְּלִ֥י	mib·bə·lî	Preposition-m; Adverb	H1097 wearing out
they perish	יֹאבֵֽדוּ׃	yō·ḇê·ḏū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H6 perish
forever	לָנֶ֥צַח	lā·ne·ṣaḥ	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H5331 eminence, enduring, everlastingness, perpetuity

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Are not their tent cords	יִתְרָ֣ם	yiṯ·rām	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H3499 remainder, excellence, excess
pulled up	נִסַּ֣ע	nis·sa‘	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H5265 pull out or up, set out, journey
so that they die	יָ֝מ֗וּתוּ	yā·mū·ṯū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H4191 die
without	וְלֹ֣א	wə·lō	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
wisdom	בְחָכְמָֽה׃	ḇə·ḥā·ḵə·māh	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular	H2451 wisdom