Job 40:4
New International Version
“I am unworthy—how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth.

New Living Translation
“I am nothing—how could I ever find the answers? I will cover my mouth with my hand.

English Standard Version
“Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth.

Berean Standard Bible
“Behold, I am insignificant. How can I reply to You? I place my hand over my mouth.

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

New King James Version
“Behold, I am vile; What shall I answer You? I lay my hand over my mouth.

New American Standard Bible
“Behold, I am insignificant; what can I say in response to You? I put my hand on my mouth.

NASB 1995
“Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to You? I lay my hand on my mouth.

NASB 1977
“Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to Thee? I lay my hand on my mouth.

Legacy Standard Bible
“Behold, I am insignificant; what can I respond to You? I place my hand over my mouth.

Amplified Bible
“Behold, I am of little importance and contemptible; what can I reply to You? I lay my hand on my mouth.

Christian Standard Bible
I am so insignificant. How can I answer you? I place my hand over my mouth.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I am so insignificant. How can I answer You? I place my hand over my mouth.

American Standard Version
Behold, I am of small account; What shall I answer thee? I lay my hand upon my mouth.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“I have come short to myself. What shall I return to you? I have put my hands on my mouthWhy 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.

Contemporary English Version
Who am I to answer you?

Douay-Rheims Bible


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

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"I'm so insignificant. How can I answer you? I will put my hand over my mouth.

International Standard Version
"I must look insignificant to you! How can I answer you? I'm speechless.

JPS Tanakh 1917
Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer Thee? I lay my hand upon my mouth.

Literal Standard Version
“Behold, I have been vile, | What do I return to You? I have placed my hand on my mouth.

Majority Standard Bible
“Behold, I am insignificant. How can I reply to You? I place my hand over my mouth.

New American Bible
Look, I am of little account; what can I answer you? I put my hand over my mouth.

NET Bible
"Indeed, I am completely unworthy--how could I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth to silence myself.

New Revised Standard Version
“See, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth.

New Heart English Bible
"Look, I am of small account. What shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth.

Webster's Bible Translation
Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay my hand upon my mouth.

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

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Job Humbles Himself Before the LORD
3Then Job answered the LORD: 4“Behold, I am insignificant. How can I reply to You? I place my hand over my mouth. 5I have spoken once, but I have no answer—twice, but I have nothing to add.”…

Cross References
Judges 18:19
"Be quiet," they told him. "Put your hand over your mouth and come with us and be a father and a priest to us. Is it better for you to be a priest for the house of one person or a priest for a tribe and family in Israel?"

Job 21:5
Look at me and be appalled; put your hand over your mouth.

Job 29:9
The princes refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands.

Job 40:3
Then Job answered the LORD:

Proverbs 30:32
If you have foolishly exalted yourself or if you have plotted evil, put your hand over your mouth.

Lamentations 3:29
Let him bury his face in the dust--perhaps there is still hope.


Treasury of Scripture

Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer you? I will lay my hand on my mouth.

Behold

Job 42:6
Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.

Genesis 18:27
And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:

Genesis 32:10
I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands.

what

Job 9:31-35
Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me…

Job 16:21
O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!

Job 23:4-7
I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments…

I will

Job 21:5
Mark me, and be astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth.

Job 29:9
The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.

Judges 18:19
And they said unto him, Hold thy peace, lay thine hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest: is it better for thee to be a priest unto the house of one man, or that thou be a priest unto a tribe and a family in Israel?

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Job 40
1. Job humbles himself to God
6. God stirs him up to show his righteousness, power, and wisdom
16. Of the behemoth
















Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“Behold,
הֵ֣ן (hên)
Interjection
Strong's 2005: Lo! behold!

I am insignificant.
קַ֭לֹּתִי (qal·lō·ṯî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7043: To be slight, swift or trifling

How
מָ֣ה (māh)
Interrogative
Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what

can I reply to You?
אֲשִׁיבֶ֑ךָּ (’ă·šî·ḇe·kā)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular | second person masculine singular
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

I place
שַׂ֣מְתִּי (śam·tî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set

my hand
יָ֝דִ֗י (yā·ḏî)
Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 3027: A hand

over
לְמוֹ־ (lə·mōw-)
Preposition
Strong's 3926: To or foreign

my mouth.
פִֽי׃ (p̄î)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 6310: The mouth, edge, portion, side, according to


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OT Poetry: Job 40:4 Behold I am of small account (Jb)
Job 40:3
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