Job 35:16
New International Version
So Job opens his mouth with empty talk; without knowledge he multiplies words.”

New Living Translation
But you are talking nonsense, Job. You have spoken like a fool.”

English Standard Version
Job opens his mouth in empty talk; he multiplies words without knowledge.”

Berean Standard Bible
So Job opens his mouth in vain and multiplies words without knowledge.”

King James Bible
Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplieth words without knowledge.

New King James Version
Therefore Job opens his mouth in vain; He multiplies words without knowledge.”

New American Standard Bible
So Job opens his mouth with empty words; He multiplies words without knowledge.”

NASB 1995
So Job opens his mouth emptily; He multiplies words without knowledge.”

NASB 1977
So Job opens his mouth emptily; He multiplies words without knowledge.”

Legacy Standard Bible
So Job opens his mouth vainly; He multiplies words without knowledge.”

Amplified Bible
Job uselessly opens his mouth And multiplies words without knowledge [drawing the worthless conclusion that the righteous have no more advantage than the wicked].”

Christian Standard Bible
Job opens his mouth in vain and multiplies words without knowledge.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Job opens his mouth in vain and multiplies words without knowledge.

American Standard Version
Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vanity; He multiplieth words without knowledge.

Contemporary English Version
Everything you have said adds up to nonsense.

English Revised Version
Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vanity; he multiplieth words without knowledge.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Job opens his mouth for no good reason and talks a lot without having any knowledge."

Good News Translation
It is useless for you to go on talking; it is clear you don't know what you are saying.

International Standard Version
When he began speaking, he communicated only worthlessness; he added words upon words without knowing anything."

Majority Standard Bible
So Job opens his mouth in vain and multiplies words without knowledge.”

NET Bible
So Job opens his mouth to no purpose; without knowledge he multiplies words."

New Heart English Bible
Therefore Job opens his mouth with empty talk, and he multiplies words without knowledge."

Webster's Bible Translation
Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplieth words without knowledge.

World English Bible
therefore Job opens his mouth with empty talk, and he multiplies words without knowledge.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Job opens his mouth [with] vanity, "" He multiplies words without knowledge.”

Young's Literal Translation
And Job with vanity doth open his mouth, Without knowledge words he multiplieth.

Smith's Literal Translation
And Job will open his mouth in vain; he will bind together words without knowledge.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Therefore Job openeth his mouth in vain, and multiplieth words without knowledge.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Therefore, Job has opened his mouth in vain and has multiplied words without knowledge.

New American Bible
Yet Job to no purpose opens his mouth, multiplying words without knowledge.

New Revised Standard Version
Job opens his mouth in empty talk, he multiplies words without knowledge.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Therefore Job has spoken in vain; he multiplies words without knowledge.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Job uselessly opened his mouth and multiplies words without knowledge
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
But Job doth open his mouth in vanity; He multiplieth words without knowledge.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Yet Job vainly opens his mouth, in ignorance he multiplies words.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Elihu Reminds Job of God's Justice
15and further, that in His anger He has not punished or taken much notice of folly! 16So Job opens his mouth in vain and multiplies words without knowledge.”

Cross References
Job 34:35
‘Job speaks without knowledge; his words lack insight.’

Job 38:2
“Who is this who obscures My counsel by words without knowledge?

Job 42:3
You asked, ‘Who is this who conceals My counsel without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.

Proverbs 10:19
When words are many, sin is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise.

Proverbs 15:2
The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool spouts folly.

Proverbs 17:27-28
A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit. / Even a fool is considered wise if he keeps silent, and discerning when he holds his tongue.

Ecclesiastes 5:2-3
Do not be quick to speak, and do not be hasty in your heart to utter a word before God. For God is in heaven and you are on earth. So let your words be few. / As a dream comes through many cares, so the speech of a fool comes with many words.

Isaiah 8:19
When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists who whisper and mutter, shouldn’t a people consult their God instead? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?

Isaiah 29:13
Therefore the Lord said: “These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is but rules taught by men.

Isaiah 32:6
For a fool speaks foolishness; his mind plots iniquity. He practices ungodliness and speaks falsely about the LORD; he leaves the hungry empty and deprives the thirsty of drink.

Matthew 12:36-37
But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. / For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Matthew 15:18-19
But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a man. / For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander.

Mark 7:21-23
For from within the hearts of men come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, / greed, wickedness, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, arrogance, and foolishness. / All these evils come from within, and these are what defile a man.”

Luke 6:45
The good man brings good things out of the good treasure of his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil treasure of his heart. For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.

Romans 1:21-22
For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts. / Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools,


Treasury of Scripture

Therefore does Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplies words without knowledge.

Job 3:1
After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.

Job 33:2,8-12
Behold, now I have opened my mouth, my tongue hath spoken in my mouth…

Job 34:35-37
Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words were without wisdom…

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Job 35
1. Comparison is not to be made with God,
6. because our good or evil cannot extend unto him
9. Many cry in their afflictions, but are not heard for lack of faith














So Job opens his mouth
The phrase "opens his mouth" is a common biblical expression indicating the act of speaking or expressing one's thoughts. In the Hebrew context, the mouth is often seen as the gateway to the heart's intentions. Job, in his suffering, is portrayed as vocalizing his distress and confusion. Historically, this reflects the ancient Near Eastern practice of lamentation, where individuals would openly express their grievances. The act of opening one's mouth in this context suggests a deep, personal outpouring of emotion and thought.

in vain
The Hebrew word for "vain" often conveys a sense of emptiness or futility. In the biblical context, it implies actions or words that lack substance or purpose. Elihu, the speaker in this passage, criticizes Job for speaking without achieving any meaningful resolution or understanding. This reflects a broader biblical theme where human wisdom is often contrasted with divine wisdom, emphasizing the limitations of human understanding without God's guidance.

and multiplies words
The phrase "multiplies words" suggests an abundance or overflow of speech. In the ancient world, verbosity was sometimes seen as a sign of wisdom, but here it is critiqued. The implication is that Job's extensive dialogue, rather than bringing clarity, only adds to the confusion. This critique aligns with the biblical caution against excessive speech, as seen in Proverbs, where wisdom is often associated with measured and thoughtful words.

without knowledge
The term "knowledge" in Hebrew often denotes not just intellectual understanding but also experiential insight and wisdom. Elihu accuses Job of speaking without true comprehension of God's ways. This highlights a central theme in the Book of Job: the contrast between human and divine knowledge. The historical context of this critique is rooted in the wisdom literature of the Bible, which frequently emphasizes the fear of the Lord as the beginning of true knowledge and understanding. Elihu's statement serves as a reminder of the limitations of human perspective and the need for humility before God's infinite wisdom.

Verse 16. - Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain; or, in vanity (comp. ver. 13). He multiplieth words without knowledge; i.e. he is bold to speak words that are vain and insensate, because God has not, as he might have done, punished him for his previous utterances.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
So Job
וְ֭אִיּוֹב (wə·’î·yō·wḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 347: Job -- a patriarch

opens
יִפְצֶה־ (yip̄·ṣeh-)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6475: To rend, open

his mouth
פִּ֑יהוּ (pî·hū)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6310: The mouth, edge, portion, side, according to

in vain
הֶ֣בֶל (he·ḇel)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1892: Emptiness, vanity, transitory, unsatisfactory

and multiplies
יַכְבִּֽר׃ (yaḵ·bir)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3527: To plait together, to augment

words
מִלִּ֥ין (mil·lîn)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 4405: A word, a discourse, a topic

without
בִּבְלִי־ (biḇ·lî-)
Preposition-b | Adverb
Strong's 1097: Failure, nothing, destruction, without, not yet, because not, as long as

knowledge.”
דַ֝֗עַת (ḏa·‘aṯ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1847: Knowledge


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OT Poetry: Job 35:16 Therefore Job opens his mouth with empty (Jb)
Job 35:15
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