Job 12 · Verse 3

Job 12:3

But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these?
Job 12:3, King James Version

Job 12:3 in other translations

BSBBut I also have a mind; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these?
WEBBut I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Yes, who doesn’t know such things as these?
ASVBut I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: Yea, who knoweth not such things as these?
YLTI also have a heart like you, I am not fallen more than you, And with whom is there not like these?
DARBYI also have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you; and who knoweth not such things as these?
BBEBut I have a mind as well as you; I am equal to you: yes, who has not knowledge of such things as these?
WebsterBut I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yes, who knoweth not such things as these?

What does Job 12:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. not inferior--not vanquished in argument and "wisdom" (Job 13:2). such things as these--such commonplace maxims as you so pompously adduce.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 I am not inferior to you - I do not fall short of any of you in understanding, wisdom, learning, and experience. Who knoweth not such things as these? - All your boasted wisdom consists only in strings of proverbs which are in every person's mouth, and are no proof of wisdom and experience in them that use them.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 12:1-5

Job upbraids his friends with the good opinion they had of their own wisdom compared with his. We are apt to call reproofs reproaches, and to think ourselves mocked when advised and admonished; this is our folly; yet here was colour for this charge. He suspected the true cause of their conduct to be, that they despised him who was fallen into poverty. It is the way of the world. Even the just, upright man, if he…

Read the full comment on Job 12:1-5 →

Job 12:3 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

גַּם\־gam-alsoH1571
לִ֤יli[belongs] to me
לֵבָ֨ב\׀le.Vava heartH3824
כְּֽמוֹכֶ֗םke.mo.Khemlike youH3644
לֹא\־lo'-notH3808
נֹפֵ֣לno.Fel[am] fallingH5307
אָנֹכִ֣י'a.no.KhiIH595
מִכֶּ֑םmi.Kemmore than you
וְאֶת\־ve.'Etand withH854
מִי\־mi-whom?H4310
אֵ֥ין'ein[are] there notH369
כְּמוֹ\־ke.mov-likeH3644
אֵֽלֶּה\׃'E.lehthese [things]H428

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Job 12:3

  • Job 13:2-5

    What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you. Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God. But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value. O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.

  • 2 Corinthians 11:21-23

    I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also. Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I. Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.

  • Proverbs 26:4

    Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.

  • 2 Corinthians 11:5

    For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.

  • Job 6:6-7

    Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg? The things that my soul refused to touch are as my sorrowful meat.

  • Job 26:2-3

    How hast thou helped him that is without power? how savest thou the arm that hath no strength? How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom? and how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
But I have.
13:2-5; Pr 26:4; 2Co 11:5,21-23
understanding. Heb. an heart. I am not inferior to you.Heb. I fall not lower than you. who knoweth not such things as these. Heb. with whom are not such as these.
6:6,7; 26:2,3

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Job 12:2

    No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.

  • Job 12:3

    But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these?

  • Job 12:4

    I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.

Read all of Job 12

Job 12:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		También tengo yo seso como vosotros; no soy yo menos que vosotros: ¿y quién habrá que no pueda decir otro tanto?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Moi aussi j’ai du sens comme vous, je ne vous suis pas inférieur; et de qui de telles choses ne sont-elles pas connues?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Auch ich habe Verstand wie ihr; ich stehe nicht hinter euch zurück; und wer wüßte nicht dergleichen?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et mihi est cor sicut et vobis, nec inferior vestri sum; quis enim hæc quæ nostis ignorat?