Job

Job 42:3–6

³You asked, ‘Who is this

who conceals My counsel without knowledge?’^a

Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,

things too wonderful for me to know.

⁴You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak.

I will question you, and you shall inform Me.’^b

⁵My ears had heard of You,

but now my eyes have seen You.

⁶Therefore I despise myself,

and I repent in dust and ashes.”

Footnotes

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
You asked	מִ֤י	mî	Interrogative	H4310 who?
Who	מִ֤י	mî	Interrogative	H4310 who?
is this	זֶ֨ה׀	zeh	Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
who conceals	מַעְלִ֥ים	ma‘·lîm	Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular construct	H5956 conceal
My counsel	עֵצָ֗ה	‘ê·ṣāh	Noun - feminine singular	H6098 counsel, advice
without	בְּֽלִ֫י	bə·lî	Adverb	H1097 wearing out
knowledge	דָ֥עַת	ḏā·‘aṯ	Noun - feminine singular	H1847 knowledge
Surely	לָכֵ֣ן	lā·ḵên	Adverb	H3651 right, veritable, honest
I spoke of things	הִ֭גַּדְתִּי	hig·gaḏ·tî	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular	H5046 be conspicuous
I did not	וְלֹ֣א	wə·lō	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
understand	אָבִ֑ין	’ā·ḇîn	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular	H995 discern
things too wonderful	נִפְלָא֥וֹת	nip̄·lā·’ō·wṯ	Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine plural	H6381 be surpassing, extraordinary
for me	מִ֝מֶּ֗נִּי	mim·men·nî	Preposition; first person common singular	H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
to know	אֵדָֽע׃	’ê·ḏā‘	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular	H3045 know

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
You said	שְֽׁמַֽע־	šə·ma‘-	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H8085 hear
Listen	שְֽׁמַֽע־	šə·ma‘-	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H8085 hear
now	נָ֭א	nā	Interjection	H4994 I (we) pray, now
and I	וְאָנֹכִ֣י	wə·’ā·nō·ḵî	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - first person common singular	H595 I
will speak	אֲדַבֵּ֑ר	’ă·ḏab·bêr	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular	H1696 speak
I will question you	אֶ֝שְׁאָלְךָ֗	’eš·’ā·lə·ḵā	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular; second person masculine singular	H7592 ask, inquire
and you shall inform Me	וְהוֹדִיעֵֽנִי׃	wə·hō·w·ḏî·‘ê·nî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular; first person common singular	H3045 know

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
My ears	לְשֵֽׁמַע־	lə·šê·ma‘-	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct	H8088 sound
had heard of You	שְׁמַעְתִּ֑יךָ	šə·ma‘·tî·ḵā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular; second person masculine singular	H8085 hear
but now	וְ֝עַתָּ֗ה	wə·‘at·tāh	Conjunctive waw; Adverb	H6258 now
my eyes	עֵינִ֥י	‘ê·nî	Noun - common singular construct; first person common singular	H5869 eye
have seen You	רָאָֽתְךָ׃	rā·’ā·ṯə·ḵā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular; second person masculine singular	H7200 see

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Therefore	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
I despise	אֶמְאַ֣ס	’em·’as	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular	H3988 reject
and I repent	וְנִחַ֑מְתִּי	wə·ni·ḥam·tî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular	H5162 be sorry, console
in	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
dust	עָפָ֥ר	‘ā·p̄ār	Noun - masculine singular	H6083 dry earth, dust
and ashes	וָאֵֽפֶר׃פ	wā·’ê·p̄er	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H665 ashes